The Call of Blood
by Nefertiry
Summary: A new vampire in Sunnydale. A rather unusual vampire, who will change some lives. Early season 7. Buffy/Angel crossover COMPLETE!!!
1. Angel, you are going to America

**Title**: The Call of Blood 

**Summary:**  A new vampire in Sunnydale. A rather unusual vampire, who will change some lives. Early season 7. Buffy/Angel crossover.

**Rating: **PG, maybe PG-13

**Timeline: September – October 2002.**

**Disclaimer:** Buffy, Spike and Sunnydale, etc, are property of those who own them – Joss Whedon and others, they are definitely not mine. Same goes with Angel. But Kate, Jake and other characters that appear in this story are mine. I borrowed some aspects of the concept of a 'day-walker' from "Blade" (I love the movie :-)

**A/N: **I haven't seen a single episode of season 7, but read a couple of spoilers concerning the first episode of season 7. This is my version of the beginning of the season: Giles didn't return to England, he stayed in Sunnydale. He helps Willow recover from her addiction to black magic. As he has sold his house, he lives in Buffy's house as well as Willow. Xander's construction company had a major contract to rebuild Sunnydale High School. He also helped Anya restore "Magic Box". Buffy works at Sunnydale HS as the students' counselor. Spike returns to Sunnydale. One more thing – I haven't seen a single episode of "Angel", just read some stuff about the show, so don't be too hard on me if some things seem strange to you. Consider it as an alternative universe or something.

**A/N**: Warning: this story is COMPLETELY result of my imagination. Any similarity to other authors' plots, characters, or events is PURELY COINCIDENTIAL AND ABSOLUTELY UNINTENTIONAL.

**"Angel, you're going to ****America****."******

** ******

_Glasgow__, __Scotland___

_Thu, Sept. 26.___

_Evening ___

She entered an old gothic-looking mansion.

"Good evening, James", she addressed the butler who took her black leather jacket.

"Good evening, miss. Lord McBryde is expecting you", the butler greeted the young dark-haired girl. "He is in the library."

The girl knew where the library was. After all, it's been two months since she and McBryde had moved to Glasgow and to this house. She came up to the library and opened the heavy oak door.

"Hi, you wanted to see me?" she entered the library. The man, sitting at the table and writing something, heard her voice, and raised his head to look at her. "Hello, angel, have a sit."

She sat on the chair near the table. "Some people wouldn't agree with you, calling me like that." She looked at him intently. "So, what's up?"

"Angel, you're going to America," he said quietly.

"No thanks, I had other plans", frowned the girl.

Lord McBryde sighed. "You have to. I want you to deliver a package to one man."

"Do I look like a FedEx? Use the mail", retorted the girl.

"You don't understand. You must go to America. It's not safe for you to stay here", insisted the man.

"Look, Victor, we just moved here. No one knows I'm in Glasgow."

"Angel, 'here' I meant Europe."

"I can take care of myself, don't worry", said the girl, but seeing concern in Victor's eyes, added:" Ok, what package and who's the man?"

Lord McBryde sighed with relief. "The man's name is Rupert Giles; he lives in Sunnydale, a small town in California. And this is the package." He took a small package, wrapped in white paper, from the top drawer of his table. "This is very important."

She stood up. "When do I leave?"

"In four hours. James will take you to the airport. You still have time to pack." He handed her the plane ticket and a piece of paper. "It's the address", he explained.

"When do I get back?" was the girl's next question.

"Angel, I don't know. I'll call you." He stood up, came up to her, and hugged. "Be careful." 

The girl went to her room to pack her things. Actually, she didn't have many things to pack. She liked to travel light – only her laptop, MP3 player and some personal stuff. With her money, she could buy anything in the States. Suddenly an idea came to her mind. She took the phone and dialed a number.

"Hi, Tony. It's me. Can you do me a favor?" she asked.

"Sure, kid. What can I do for you?" wondered Tony, sitting in his office in Indianapolis.

"Can you get me a ticket to Indianapolis Grand Prix this weekend? I don't care how much it will cost."  
"Ok, I'll see what I can do", answered Tony.

"One more thing. Book me a hotel room. I'll be in Indianapolis tomorrow and I'll call you. Bye." She disconnected the call. 'If I have to go to the States, why not having some fun?' she thought.

Downstairs in the hall James put down the phone receiver.

Three hours later James took her to the airport. She bought a ticket on the nearest flight to Indianapolis and half an hour later, she was on board the plane heading to Indianapolis.

_Sunnydale__, __Ca__, __USA___

_Spike's crypt_

_Sat, Sept. 28._

_Almost __midnight___

It's been 2 months since Spike returned to Sunnydale. His wounds after the tests of the Cave Demon healed but his newly recovered soul drove him nuts. He heard voices in his head, screams of his victims. They never seized, never subsided even for a second. He couldn't sleep, eat or do anything else. Spike would just lie in his crypt, staring at the ceiling and slowly go insane.

That night Buffy was on patrol as usual. She dusted 3 newly-raised vampires and was about to go home when she realized that she wasn't far from Spike's crypt. Later she couldn't understand what force dragged her to the crypt and she couldn't help herself, but enter the crypt. She opened the door. The crypt was dark as usual, but one thing caught her attention – unmoving body, lying on the sarcophagus. Spike. Buffy's relief when she saw Spike alive (in that sense that the word can be applied to a vampire) was then swept away by the feeling of anger, as Spike reminded her of something she wanted to forget – the attempt of rape.

Buffy came closer to the sarcophagus. "Spike," she said quietly "why are you back in Sunnydale? No one expects you here."

Spike opened his eyes and saw the Slayer, the person he loved and because of whom he endured those tests in Africa. "Look, Slayer. It's a free country. I live where I want." He sat up, reached for his cigarettes, and took one. He lit it and took and deep drag. "Why are YOU here?" asked Spike, exhaling the smoke and looking at Buffy through the smoke. He balanced on the verge of sanity but didn't want her to notice that.

"I don't know. What happened to you? You look like a dead corpse", said Buffy, seeing Spike's exhausted face.

"Hello, reality check! I am a dead corpse, well, technically I'm an alive dead corpse", smirked Spike.

"What am I doing here?" murmured Buffy and went to the door.

"Hey, say 'hello' to Dawn. I've missed her." She heard his voice.

"Spike, I don't think she'll be glad to see you after all you've tried to do to me", said Buffy, not looking at Spike and exited the crypt.

_Indianapolis__, In._

_Sun, Sept. 29._

_Evening _

The racing weekend was magnificent. "Ferrari" was on the top as usual and she was sure that no one would stop the team from winning the constructors' cup and the pilots' championship.

Standing in the hotel lobby and waiting for the receptionist to check her out, she looked at her wristwatch. "Damn it! I'll miss the flight!" she almost yelled and asked the girl. "Can you please hurry? I'll miss my flight to Los Angeles."

The receptionist checked her out and the girl ran to get the taxi. Luckily, she didn't miss her flight and several hours later the plane landed at LAX. She decided to spend a part of the day shopping and then go to Sunnydale.

_Sunnydale__, Ca._

_Buffy's house_

_Mon, Sept.30_

_Morning_

"Spike's back", said Buffy when she, Giles, Willow, and Dawn were having breakfast.

"What?!" exclaimed Giles. "When did you see him?"

"On Saturday, when I was on patrol", answered Buffy.

"And you waited until Monday to tell us that?" asked Willow. "Buffy, have you forgotten what he tried to do to you?"

"Thanks for reminding me, Wil", said Buffy, standing up, collecting the dirty dishes, and taking them to the kitchen. "He... I don't know, looked different, like he's been through something, something really bad."

"Did he try to apologize to you?" asked Dawn. It still was difficult for her to forgive Spike, but she missed him and wanted to see him.

 "No, he didn't mention anything", said Buffy, bringing coffee from the kitchen. "Dawn, could you go to 'Magic Box' after school? Anya wanted you to help her with the shop", Buffy changed the subject.

"Yeah, sure", answered Dawn. "Willow, will you be in the shop too?"

"Yes, Giles thinks I can be around the occult stuff and control myself", answered the redheaded ex-witch.

"Willow's progress is great", nodded Giles, sipping his coffee.

*          *          *          *          

Meanwhile Spike's condition was getting worse and worse. Those voices sounded louder in his head, he started to hallucinate.

"Bloody soul, I don't want to suffer, having it. Buffy won't forgive me whether I have the soul or don't have it", murmured Spike, pacing in his crypt. Then a really interesting idea visited his head. There had to be some spell that would shut his soul up, make the voices go away. Spike didn't want to go to Willow, but he knew another person who could do magic. Anyanka. Being a vengeance demon and possessing some magic powers, Anya would figure out something.

He waited impatiently for the sun to set and as soon as it began to dusk, he stormed out of his crypt and ran to the 'Magic Box'.

  
_'Magic Box'_

_Same day_

_Evening _

Anya stood at the counter, looking through the list of goods she wanted to order, when she heard a sound coming from the training room.

"Dawn, is that you?" she asked. But then she remembered that Dawn was in the basement with Giles and Willow, doing the inventory of the supplies. "Who's there?" she repeated.

"It's me." Anya heard the familiar voice with the British accent.

"Spike." When she turned to look at him, she frowned. Anya sensed something new in him …something she never thought he would have …again. "Do you have your soul back?" she asked surprised

"Yes, and it's killing me. I'm going crazy", said Spike, coming up to the counter.

"What's killing you?" they heard Buffy's voice and turned to her. She entered the shop and stared at Spike. Moreover, Giles, Willow, and Dawn had just returned from the basement and heard Spike's last words. "You have YOUR SOUL BACK?" asked Buffy, not believing her ears. "How is that possible?"

"None of you damn business", snapped Spike and leaned against the counter. He was tired, constant attempts to keep his mental sanity exhausted him.

"Spike, why are you here?" asked Buffy, sitting on the chair near their 'research' table.

"I came to Anyanka, not to you", said Spike.

"What do you want from me?" asked Anya.

"I need some spell to make my soul shut up, these bloody voices are driving me nuts", replied Spike, avoiding to look in Dawn's eyes. He feared to see disgust in them.

"Interesting", murmured Giles," those voices that you hear are the voices of the victims you'd killed, right?" he asked.

"Yes", nodded Spike,"every bloody person I'd killed wants to remind me of that."

"Do you feel weak, unable to eat or do anything?" asked Giles, getting more and more interested.

"Looks like Doctor Giles knows something that I don't know", smirked Spike.

"Spike, your soul is the work of the Cave Demon, am I right?" asked Giles, thinking 'I have to give him the credit, the man has guts. Not many vampires survived the tests of the Cave Demon.' Giles went to the bookshelves and started to look for something. "I remember I read something about the vampires that got their souls back from the Cave Demon and how much they suffered. Oh, here it is!" He found the book he was looking for and opened it. He was flipping through the pages until "Aha! Found it! Listen: when the vampire gets his soul back, he will die in time. That's the catch of your deal with the demon, Spike." Giles continued reading: "the vampire won't be able to drink blood, as it will cause disgust. The remorse, conscience, and hunger will kill him. Drained, weakened, and insane vampire will crave for death."

"Nice perspective, Spike", said Anya.

"What, there's nothing to be done?" asked Buffy, feeling strange pain of loss when she imagined not having Spike around. For good this time.

"Hmm, there's a way out. The vampire must drink some blood of his kindred", read Giles.

"What kindred? Do you mean someone from the Master's line?" asked curious Willow.

"'Kindred' means his relative's blood", answered Giles.

"Relative's! HA!" laughed bitterly Spike. "All my relatives have been dead for more than 120 years." 

"Angel is kind of related to Spike", noted Buffy, thinking 'What the hell am I doing? Trying to get blood for my ex-lover from my first lover? I must be crazy.'

"Not this kind. He must drink blood from the person he was related to when he was human", said Giles, taking off his glasses and wiping them. "Which is practically impossible", he added.

"I repeat, all my relatives are dead, I killed them with my own hands. And I'm gonna be dead soon too", snorted Spike.

"There's one more way out, but it's next to impossible too", murmured Giles, frowning.

"What?!!" asked Buffy, Dawn and Willow.

"This can't be!" exclaimed Giles.

"Giles, come on, WHAT?!" pleaded him Buffy.

"He must drink a day-walker's blood", Giles looked at Spike, whose face expressed 'it's easier to dig out someone of my relatives and revive them than to find a day-walker.'

"What's a 'day-walker'?" asked Buffy.

"It's a vampire, born from a human and a vampire. The day-walker lives like a normal human – drinks, eats, isn't afraid of sunlight. His vampire side gives him strength and healing abilities, he doesn't age and can live very long if he's careful."

"Why haven't I heard about them before?" asked Buffy.

"They are rare, besides they are neutral, they can choose sides, be good or bad", answered Giles. "I've never met them, only read but not much."

"Where are we supposed to find a day-walker?" asked Dawn the question that everyone present asked himself or herself.

_            *          *          *          *_

At the very same time, the bus from Los Angeles arrived at the bus station. She got a little carried away, shopping, and lost track of time, that's why she arrived at Sunnydale only in the evening. She came out of the bus and took the taxi. She showed the driver the piece of paper, McBryde had given to her. "This is the address."

The driver nodded. "I'll get you there in ten minutes."

The girl looked in her wallet, checking if she had enough cash.

The driver hadn't lied. Ten minutes later, he pulled over near the building with the sign 'Magic Box'. "That's the place."

She gave him the money and got out of the car. She saw the light in the windows and concluded that the shop wasn't closed yet. 'Great, the sooner I get rid of that package the sooner I'll get back home', she thought and entered the shop. She immediately felt the atmosphere of magic and … old traces of dark and dangerous magic.

The doorbell tingled and Anya, who was reading a book of spells, raised her head to see who that was. The girl came up to the counter and the blonde girl smiled at the visitor. "Hi, can I help you?"

"Yes, you can. I'm looking for Rupert Giles. Is he here?" asked the visitor.

"He's busy right now", answered Anya, looking curiously at the girl. 

The girl frowned and said: "I have a package for him. When he gets back, please, tell him to give me a call." She wrote down her cell phone number and her name and handed Anya the piece of paper. Then she left.

Anya shrugged, put the paper so that she wouldn't forget to give it to Giles, and returned to reading. 5 minutes later after the girl had left Buffy, Willow, Giles and Dawn returned from the basement where they were looking for the ingredients for the spell that Anya had found. Spike was with them in the basement, he was the last to get out of it. The spell wouldn't guarantee Spike's life; it would ease his sufferings for a while.

"Did you get everything that we need?" asked Anya, looking at them.

"Yes, we'll do this spell tonight", said Giles, taking the book of spells from the counter.

"Oh, Giles! There was a girl looking for you and she left her phone number." Anya handed him the paper.

"What girl?" asked Giles.

"About 23, brown eyes, short dark hair, about my height. She had a slight accent like yours." 

'Kate Ryan', read Giles. He took the phone and dialed the number. "Miss Ryan? This is Rupert Giles. I was told that you were looking for me.

"Yes, I have a package for you from Lord McBryde", said Kate. She hadn't gone far from the shop and could finish her mission that night. "I'm near 'Magic Box'; I could give it to you right now."

"Very well, I'll be waiting", said Giles and hung up the phone. "Hmm, Lord McBryde….I haven's heard this name for years", he muttered to himself.

The doorbell tingled and Kate came in. Everyone turned to look at her. She smiled, but her smile froze when she saw one person. That person also froze.

"Bloody soul!" exclaimed Spike. "These hallucinations are so real!"

"William?!!!" Kate couldn't believe her eyes.

"Kate, kitten, is this you?" murmured Spike, staring at her and thinking that was the most vivid hallucination so far.

"Miss Ryan, I'm Rupert Giles", said Giles, not understanding why Spike stared at Kate and mumbled something about 'kittens'. Kate looked at him. "Do you know he is a vampire?" she asked, pointing at Spike.

"Yeah, but he is harmless now", Buffy decided to join the conversation. "How come you know Spike?"

"Spike? So you are William the Bloody, right?" asked Kate, coming up to him. "The notorious killer of the Slayers?"

Spike touched her shoulder, checking whether she was real or it was his sick brains that tricked him. She was real. "Kate, how is that possible?" And then the sudden realization struck him. "You're a VAMPIRE!"

"Bravo! And the prize goes to Spike, the most brilliant vampire on Earth!" said Kate sarcastically. "It doesn't take a scientist to understand who I am."

"Kitten, I'm so sorry…" started Spike, but Kate interrupted him.

"Kitten died that night in London, remember?" Both vampires stared at each other, pain in blue eyes and accusation in brown ones.

"Can anyone explain what's going on?" asked Anya, intrigued by the events.

"Go ahead, tell them how you sired your own sister!" shouted Kate.

"You SIRED your SISTER?" asked Buffy incredulously.

"Spike has a sister and she's alive!" said Dawn. "Do you understand what this means? Guys!"

"The blood of the relative", nodded Willow.

"What blood? What the hell are you talking about?" asked Kate angrily. She was still in shock, having met someone she never expected to see.

"Spike's soul is killing him and the only cure for him is the blood of his relative. He must drink it", explained Giles to Kate. 

Her eyes widened. "There's no way he'll drink my blood! Not again! One time was more than enough", said Kate in a calmer voice. She took the package from her bag and handed it to Giles. "This is the package. Now I can go home."

Giles opened the package. It contained 2 CDs and a note. Giles read it. 'Rupert, when you get the package, make Kate stay in the States. If anything happens to me, don't let her go back to Europe. It's not safe for her to go back. Do whatever it takes to make her stay. Please! Yours truly Victor McBryde, 09.26.2002."

"Kate, wait!" said Giles to the girl who already came up to the door. "You can't leave!" Giles put the CDs and the note into his pocket.

"Watch me!" Kate opened the door and left the shop.

"Spike, she's your sister, get her back", asked him Giles. Spike went outside, grabbed Kate, and carried her to the shop.

"Get your hands off me", snapped Kate. "What's the matter? I delivered the package."

"Lord McBryde asked me not to let you go back to Europe", explained Giles to the stubborn girl. She pouted and sat on the chair.

"Spike, how did you manage to sire your sister?" asked Dawn.

"It happened not long after Drusilla sired me. I was hungry and killed people, many people, including my family. It was the time when Angelus and Drusilla taught me how to be a vampire. Angelus ordered me to drink her blood", said Spike quietly, not looking at Kate. 

Kate snorted. "Crash course for young vampires. Ew! He almost drained me and made me drink his blood. Pervert!"

Her words hurt Spike. With every passing minute, he felt his strength abandon him.

"Giles, he looks awful! Do something", pleaded him Dawn, it hurt her to look at him, weak and in pain.

"Why do you want him to live?" asked her Kate. "He's a demon."

"He's changed. Spike helped us hundreds of times. He doesn't hurt people anymore." Tears started to fill Dawn's eyes. She felt like it was her brother dying. Buffy had a strange feeling that reminded her the moment when she had to kill Angel in order to close the vortex, opened by the Acathla.

Kate tilted her head and sighed. "Ah, what's the hell! After all, he is my brother." She bared her neck. "How much blood does he need to drink?"

Everyone stared at her. "Look, this is a one time deal. I'm not gonna offer my blood twice", said Kate.

"Right." Giles looked into the book. "When he stops hearing the voices, it will mean that he's had enough. Your blood will clear his. But there's a catch. You'll have to drink his blood too."

Kate winced. "Ok, let's do it. But you'd better close the shop. People don't need to see what's going on there."

"Good point." Anya went to lock the door. When she was locking it she saw in the window that Xander was approaching the shop. "Xander, come in. I'm locking the door." Anya opened the door for him and when he entered the shop, she locked it. She also closed the blinds.

"What's going on here?" asked Xander.

"I'll explain later", whispered Anya and went to the company that gathered around the table. 

"Spike, do it already, what are you waiting for?" said Kate and stood up. Spike came up to her and put one hand on her waist, another on the back of her head, so that he would hold her comfortably while drinking her blood.

"Kitten, I'm sorry", he whispered, vamped out and pierced the skin on her neck. 

Hot, sweet, intoxicating blood filled his mouth. Spike had never tasted blood sweeter and better than Kate's. He felt his strength come back to him, voices getting quieter.

They observed the ritual with mixed emotions of horror and admiration. There was something fascinating in the way Spike drank Kate's blood.

Voices disappeared, but Spike kept draining his sister. She felt that and put her hand on the back of his head. "Spike, I'm not a bottle of bloody scotch, leave me some blood", she hissed and tried to pull away the blonde vampire. It worked. He stared at her pale face. "Sorry, kitten, got carried away. Your turn."

"Spike, do me a favor, show me your human face, I like it more", she said. Spike did as she asked. What he saw then surprised him. Kate's face didn't change, only sharp pointed teeth and green eyes indicated her nature.

"What the …" started Spike and Kate's teeth pierced his neck. She didn't drink much blood. When she finished, her teeth became normal again and her eyes turned brown.

"Kate…" Spike's next attempt to ask something was interrupted again. Kate put her finger on his lips and whispered. "Not now." She turned to the audience that stared at the two vampires. "I'm hungry. Where can I eat in this town?"

"You mean blood?" asked Buffy.

"I mean normal food", answered Kate, wiping away blood from her lips and touching the bite marks on her neck and winced. She felt dizzy. Spike, on the other hand, felt so good, like he had never felt before. "Let's go to the 'Bronze', they serve incredible spicy wings there", he suggested.

Everybody agreed.

*          *          *          *

They all went to the 'Bronze'. Kate's massive blood loss made her feel dizzy, but Spike put his arm around her waist and helped her walk.

In the bar, they ordered drinks and spicy wings for Spike and Kate. When Buffy, Dawn, Anya, Willow, and Xander went to the dance floor to dance, Giles, Spike and Kate remained at their table. They were talking when the phone ring interrupted them. It was Kate's cell phone.

"Hello", she said.

"Miss Ryan, this is James." The butler's voice sounded weird and Kate felt something bad had happened.

"James, what is it?" She tried to calm down.

"Miss Ryan, Lord McBryde is dead", said James quietly.

Kate got deadly pale and dropped the phone on the table.

"Kate, what is it?" asked concerned Giles.

"Lord Mc…Victor is dead. I'm going back to Europe", she stood up abruptly and felt dizzy again. 

"No, you're too weak, besides, McBryde wrote me if anything should happen to him not to let you go to Europe." Giles stood up and then said. "I need to contact the council. Spike, don't let her out of sight." Frowning, Giles left the club. Kate took her phone, switched it off and put it in her pocket.

When the music ended, Buffy and the Scoobies returned to their table.

"Spike, aren't you gonna introduce us to your blood donor?" asked Anya.

"As you already know this is Kate, my sister. Kate, this is Anya", said Spike.

"You're a vengeance demon, right?" asked Kate and that surprised them all.

"How did you know?" asked astonished Anya.

"You have the vengeance demon locket and I can see the true essence of people", answered Kate. "Like, for example, you." She looked at Willow.

"It's Willow", whispered Spike to Kate's ear.

"Willow, you are a witch, a very powerful witch, as a matter of fact."

"Ex-witch, noted Willow, smiling.

"No, not ex-, you can't just quit your powers." Kate shook her head. "You may not practice magic, but it won't change who you really are – a witch." And then Kate looked at Dawn. "You are the Key, although, I might say you WERE the Key, am I right?"

Dawn nodded. "Yes, I'm Dawn."

Buffy raised her eyebrow. "She's my sister and I'm Buffy, by the way."

Kate didn't let her finish. "Oh, you're the Slayer. A vampire senses someone like you. And you…" She looked at Xander.

"I'm Xander, human, no superpowers", smiled Xander.

"Since you, Buffy, are the Slayer you must have a Watcher. Giles is your Watcher, right?" asked Kate, addressing Buffy.

"Yep, well, he was my Watcher, now he…" The ring of Buffy's cell phone interrupted her.

"Hello", she said.

"It's me. Take Kate and whoever is with you and go to your house. Now", said the man impatiently.

"Giles, what is it?" asked Buffy.

"Buffy, don't ask. Do as I say."

TBC

A/N Ok, this is the first chapter of my story. Let me know what you think of it. Please, review.

  
  



	2. I'd Like My Blood Back

**Title**: The Call of Blood 

**Summary:**  A new vampire in Sunnydale. A rather unusual vampire, who will change some lives. Early season 7. Buffy/Angel crossover.

**Rating: **PG, maybe PG-13

**Pairing:** I'm a 100% Buffy/Spike shipper, although Angel will be present in my story. 

**Timeline**: September – October 2002.

**Disclaimer:** Buffy, Spike and Sunnydale, etc, are property of those who own them – Joss Whedon and others, they are definitely not mine. Same goes with Angel. But Kate, Jake and other characters that appear in this story are mine. I borrowed some aspects of the concept of a 'day-walker' from "Blade". I love the movie ;-)

**A/N :** This story takes place in Buffyverse, Angel is the only character from "Angel, the series". In one of the reviews, I read that there's one Kate in Angelverse. Who says that there can't be characters with identical names?

**A/N 2**: Warning: this story is COMPLETELY result of my imagination. Any similarity to other authors' plots, characters, or events is PURELY COINCIDENTIAL AND ABSOLUTELY UNINTENTIONAL.

**Chapter 2**

**"I'd Like My Blood Back"**

_Buffy's house_

_Same evening****_

When Buffy and the others entered the house, Giles met them in the hall and he looked like he had found out something important and disturbing at the same time. They went to the living room and sat wherever the managed to sit. They prepared to listen. Giles took a deep breath and began. "I've contacted the Council. They are worried by what's happening in Europe." He looked at Kate to see her reaction to his words.

"And what's happening in Europe?" asked Buffy, sitting on the couch near Dawn and Willow.

"The Blood Hunt has began", said Giles, still looking at Kate. She was sitting on another couch with Spike beside her. Both vampires seemed to have reconciled.

"The Blood what?" asked Xander from his armchair. 

"Last night Lord McBryde was found dead in his mansion in Glasgow." Gilles ignored Xander's words. 

Kate was toying with the ring on her right hand and said nothing; she didn't even look at Giles. 

"Kate, he knew that you were in danger and that's why he sent you away, right? Kate, say something", insisted Giles. 

"What's a 'Blood Hunt'? People?" asked Buffy, joining the conversation between her Watcher and Spike's sister, although that conversation looked more like Giles' monologue.

"Do you know what it is?" continued his interrogation Giles. Kate sighed sadly. Giles continued." Ok, I'll say. The Blood Hunt is the hunt for the day-walker's blood, but I don't understand what it has to do with McBryde."

"I think I know what's on those CDs that I've brought to you." Kate finally looked at Giles.

"WHAT??"

"'A day-walker for dummies'. An instruction manual", said Kate firmly, it seemed like she had just made a very important decision.

"To what?" asked Giles quietly.

"TO ME." Kate's answer was simple and short.

Everyone stared at her in disbelief.

"Are you saying you are a DAY-WALKER??!!" yelled Giles.

"Louder! They haven't heard you in Alaska!" smiled Kate. "Yep, I'm a day-walker. Feel my pulse." She stood up and approached Giles. "Don't worry, I don't bite. Well, I DO bite, but I won't, I promise", she said, seeing his mixed emotions. He took her wrist. "Oh, my God! It's warm and the pulse…" he whispered.

"Yeah, normal pulse. I'm alive like anyone present here. Oops, Spike, not including you." She sat on the couch and looked at her brother. The brother was astonished. "I knew there was something weird when I drank your blood", he said. "Warm blood and your face…"

"The day-walker's face is not like a usual vampire's one", noted Kate.

"So, you're a good day-walker, right?" asked Dawn.

"And how many day-walkers have you met?" Kate turned to Dawn, smiling.

"Well, one – including you", muttered the girl.

"Don't worry, I haven't met other day-walkers too", comforted her Kate.

"How do you obey your thirst?" asked Xander.

"I drink 'Sprite'. But seriously, I have this ring", she showed him her right hand. "As long as I have it on my hand, I don't feel blood thirst."

"So, does this Blood Hunt mean that someone's hunting for your blood?" asked Anya, thinking 'Great, the Blood Hunt is the last thing we need here, in Sunnydale.'

"I guess so", said Kate. "No one has ever hunted for my blood before. Well, Spike hunted for it, but that was when he was hungry and I wasn't who I am now." She looked at Spike, whose face expressed 'please-don't-remind-me-of-that'.

"I know why McBryde sent you to Sunydale!" Exclaimed Giles, finally realizing McBryde's reasons.

"Why?" wondered Kate.

"Sunnydale is also known as Hell Mouth, the center of mystical energy. He sent you to blend with this energy", explained Giles.

"Nice. Blend with the mystical energy. What else?" murmured Kate.

_Glasgow__, __Scotland___

_Tue.__ Oct.1_

_Very early morning_

_( the__ same time when Kate was in the 'Bronze')_

When James finished talking to Kate, he hung up the phone and looked at three young men, standing in front of him.

"So, what did she say?" asked one of them. His name was Chris and he was the oldest.

"When she heard about McBryde, she dropped the phone, but I could hear her telling someone that she was going back to Europe. And that someone, a man with a British accent, told her that Lord McBryde had asked him not to let her go to Europe if anything happened to him", answered the butler, shaking from impatience to get his money and get the hell out of Glasgow as soon as possible. "I did as you've asked. Give me my money; I don't want to stay here."

"She's not going back to Europe. Where is she?" asked Nick, the youngest.

"He sent her to America", answered James. Now these three gave him creeps.

"America's big. Where's she exactly", asked Jake, the middle of three brothers whose job was to hunt down the day-walker.

"When she was in her room, packing, she called some guy named Tony", muttered James. He was shaking from fear, as there was something in those guys that told him that they wouldn't let him go so easily. "I heard her asking him to get her tickets to Indianapolis Grand Prix last Sunday."

"Hmm, she likes Formula 1…. Interesting", muttered Jake. "So, she went to Indianapolis. We'll have to check all hotels. She is McBryde, right?"

"No, she is Katherine Ryan, Kate", mumbled James. "Please, don't kill me", he pleaded.

"Relax. We didn't find any pictures of hers in the house. What does she look like?" asked Chris.

"5''6', short dark hair, brown eyes, she's 23", answered James. "Can I go now?"

"Sure", said Nick but when the butler turned his back to him, Nick grabbed his head and snapped his neck. "You can go to hell. "

Jake winced. "Was it THAT necessary?" he asked his younger brother when they were leaving the mansion.

"He betrayed his master and her. He belongs in hell", shrugged Nick. 

The brothers came up to their car. They were the luckiest and the most successful Blood Trackers for the last couple of hundred years. Everyone who looked at them could tell that they were brothers. Dark blonde hair, green eyes, deadly attractive and irresistible to women, they used their charms perfectly. They had already tracked 5 day-walkers. Though those were male day-walkers, they weren't easy to track. Born once every 200 years, male day-walkers were very careful. This time their job was to track a female day-walker. Female day-walkers, born once a millennium, were almost impossible to find. The last one, born in the 3d century A.C. lived until 1857 and died at the hand of the Slayer. The girl, they were looking for was the only female day-walker on the planet and they had to find her and get her blood.

The brothers got into their car and Chris started the engine, but Jake stopped him. "Wait, I have an idea." He got out of the car and went back to the mansion. Jake went upstairs to Kate's room. Although they had already searched it, he needed something that could help him sense the girl. He noticed the perfume on the table and took it. He opened the bottle and inhaled the scent. 'Nice', he thought and looked at the label 'Davidoff. Cool Water'. "Kate, you're mine", he whispered and left the room.

In the car, he showed the bottle to his brothers. "This will help us find her."

Nick took his cell phone and dialed a number. "She went to America, Indianapolis", he said.

"Good. Go there and bring me her blood", said the man on the other side of the line.

"Where should we meet after we get the blood?" asked Nick.

"The usual place." The man disconnected the call.

The same day brothers left Glasgow. They were on board the plane heading to Indianapolis.

_Sunnydale, Ca_

_Buffy's house_

_Still Monday evening _

"Willow, I need your laptop to look at those CDs", said Giles to the red-haired ex-witch who chattered with Kate. She was curious to know how Kate's ring worked. "I think there's some spell on this ring." Willow pointed at it.

"Maybe. I just wear it all the time. I never thought about how it worked", replied Kate.

"Willow, the laptop", repeated Giles and Willow went to her room to get it.

"Oh, crap! My bag…" suddenly remembered Kate. "I left it in the shop.

"Kate, are you staying at the hotel?" asked Buffy.

"No, I came to the shop right from the bus station. I'll have to find a hotel to crash for a couple of days", answered Kate.

"And then what? You can't go to Europe", reminded her Giles.

"I'll go to Brazil or Australia, or I don't know, somewhere", shrugged Kate.

"No, you can't leave. Don't you understand? McBryde sent you HERE, because the energy of the Hell Mouth would hide your presence. And that 'instruction manual', as you've named it… he wanted me to know about you", insisted Giles, trying to explain to the stubborn girl why she had to stay.

"Giles, the laptop." Willow brought the computer and placed it on the table. She sat on the couch near Buffy.

"Oh, God! Willow, you know I'm not good at this computer stuff. Help me with the discs." Giles took the discs from his pocket and handed them to Willow.

"Ok", nodded Willow and inserted the first CD in the CD-Drive.

"Kitten, you can crash at my crypt", suggested Spike.

"Crypt? Spike, I love you …hmm, I haven't seen you for ages and I don't know if I still love you, but you are my brother and…Anyway , crypts are not my style. I'll get a room at the hotel." Kate declined his generous offer. "No hard feelings?"

"No hard feelings", nodded Spike. "You know, you've changed. You are so… I don't know." Spike was searching for words.

"Last time I saw you, you bit me and it was 1880. Besides, I was a typical girl of the 19th century. Times have changed and it's the 21st century already. I'm different now." Kate smiled and then addressed Giles. "Mr. Giles, you own the shop, right?" 

Anya interrupted her. "No, I own the 'Magic Box' now."

"Ok, Anya, I know it's late, but I'd like to take my bag from your shop." Kate stood up.

"Kate, I could take you to the 'Magic Box' and show you the best hotel in Sunnydale." Xander offered his help.

"Of course, you know the best hotels in Sunnydale. That's where you were hiding after you had left me at the altar", said Anya sarcastically. She felt that Xander got interested in Kate. "I'll take you to the shop." Anya also stood up.

"Why don't you both take me to the shop?" suggested Kate, noticing the tension between the two. Xander and Anya nodded.

When they left, Buffy told Dawn to go to bed as it was very late and Dawn had to go to school next morning.

"But, Buf, I want to know what Giles and Willow find out about Kate", pleaded the girl, but Buffy was relentless. "Dawn, go to bed." Dawn had to do as she'd been told.

Giles and Willow were busy with the computer and Buffy asked Spike to follow her. They went outside. Buffy sat down on the porch and Spike, lighting a cigarette, sat beside her.

"Spike, tell me honestly. Where were you and how the hell did you get your soul back? I didn't understand much what Giles was talking about some Cave Demon." She looked at him, but he avoided looking in her eyes.

"Look, about what happened that night in your bathroom…" he started, but she stopped him. "Spike, don't."

"Let me finish. I don't know what came over me. It was like a temporary insanity. When I returned to the crypt, I knew that some things had to be changed. I couldn't stay in Sunnydale anymore. I wanted to be myself again, William the Bloody, not some sodding harmless-chipped Spike, that couldn't hurt a fly. I went to Africa to the Cave Demon who could make me the man I used to be. The tests were very hard, and I endured them. He gave me what I had asked, but that was not what I had expected to get. I wanted the bloody chip out of my head instead I got my soul back." Spike forgot about the cigarette in his hand, but the cigarette reminded him of itself by burning down and threatening to set him on fire. He tossed it away.

"Spike, I'm … well, partially I'm responsible for what had happened. I've pushed you away so many times not really meaning it that you stopped taking my rejections seriously. I'm sorry", said Buffy quietly.

Spike raised his eyebrow. "Are you apologizing, Slayer? For giving me 'wrong messages'? Wow, that's something new."

"Spike, don't push it." Buffy stood up and went to the house. Spike didn't follow her.

Buffy entered the living room, where Willow and Giles stared at the computer screen  
"So, what did you find?" asked Buffy, coming up to them.

"Well, we looked for the Blood Hunt and here's what we've found. There's been several Blood Hunts for the last – Buffy, listen – 3 years! Can you believe this? 5 dead day-walkers for the last 3 years! Not many people can say they even met them, but killing…" Giles was really worried.

"So, someone's killed 5 day-walkers for the last 3 years and is looking for Kate's blood? Does this mean she'll die too?" That was Buffy's reaction to Giles' words. "Who got so lucky?"

"The Blood Trackers. McBryde wrote they were humans, but something made them extremely dangerous to day-walkers."

"If there are Blood Trackers, which means they can track the day-walker, then there has to be someone who wants this blood. Right?" Buffy looked at concerned Giles.

"Yes? But who?"

_Indianapolis__, __Ind___

_Tue.__ Oct. 1_

_Morning_

The Blood Trackers checked every hotel in Indianapolis and finally found the one where Kate had stayed during the racing weekend.

"Good evening", said Chris when he came up to the receptionist's desk and smiled. The receptionist, a young brunette, saw his smile and melted.

"What can I do for you?" She was ready to do anything for the gorgeous young man who stood in front of her.

"I'm looking for Katherine Ryan, she's staying at this hotel", said Chris, leaning closer to the girl.

"Let me check the computer. No, I'm sorry, she checked out on Sunday", told him the receptionist, but when Chris frowned, she added hastily. "When she was checking out, she was in a big hurry. Miss Ryan was afraid that she might miss her flight to Los Angeles."

"Los Angeles? Thank you." Chris came up to his brothers who stood near the window. "She went to LA."

In the airport, they bought tickets on the nearest flight to Los Angeles.

"If she's in LA, how are we gonna find her? LA is big", asked Nick when the plane was in the air.

"The way we usually find day-walkers", answered Chris dryly. Jake winced.

_LAX, _Los Angeles____

_Same day_

When the brothers arrived at Los Angeles, they discussed their further actions. Chris rent a car and Jake bought a map of California and another map of Los Angeles.

The Blood Trackers were sitting in their car when Jake, who was sitting in the backseat, spread the map of California. "First California."

"Let's do it", said Chris and took a tiny funny-looking knife and a small bowl from his bag. Each brother pierced his finger and squeezed a drop of blood into the bowl. Jake took the bowl and let the blood drop on the map. The drop fell on LA. 

"Blood of the Light, join Blood of the Dark", said Jake and his brothers repeated these words after him. The drop moved, leaving the trail. It led to Sunnydale.

"Sunnydale", read Jake.

Chris started the engine.

*          *          *          *

Several hours later Chris parked the car near the hotel. It was "Sunnydale Inn". They checked in.

"Do you sense her?" Chris asked Jake when they went to their rooms.

"Not yet. Let's wait for the evening. She's the creature of darkness. If she's here, we'll find her." Jake opened the door to his room.

"Guys, wait!" Nick came up to his brothers. "I just talked to the receptionist. She said that the coolest place in Sunnydale is the nightclub called 'Bronze'. There's gonna be a huge party in the 'Bronze'. I think she'll be there and I doubt she would want to miss this big 'late night snack'."

"Great. Guys, get ready." Chris entered his room.

_'Magic Box'_

_Evening_

Kate entered the shop. Giles gave her a phone call an hour before and asked to come. She saw Anya at the counter. The vengeance demon was talking to the customer. Willow and Giles sat at the table, busy with research work.

"Hi, guys", said Kate, coming up to them.

"Hey, Kate, how are you feeling? I mean", Willow lowered her voice "after you've lost so much blood last night."

"Ah, I'll live. So, did you find anything interesting?" asked Kate, sitting down on the chair.

"Katherine, where's the original?" wondered Giles, looking at the vampire intently.

"Vic has, HAD, a bank safe in Zurich. Very reliable. He said the original was too valuable to keep it at home, besides it was quite big and heavy." Kate looked around. "What happened her? I sense dark magic.

Willow frowned. "Long story."

"Sorry, if I touched a sore subject. Mr. Giles, did Vic write anything about those who might hunt me?" she addressed the man.

"Nobody calls me 'Mr. Giles'. Besides, you're much older than me, just call me Giles." He smiled.

"Giles, it's not polite to remind a woman about her age", noted Willow. 

Kate laughed. "I'm not offended. I'm really very old as for a human. Back to business. What did you find?"

"Not much. He wrote about that in his recent entries." Giles moved the laptop to Kate and she read.

'These three are dangerous. They started in 1999, killing one of the fiercest day-walkers, Ian Hayes. He was a horrible bloodsucking son of a bitch, but I still don't understand how they managed to track him. He was 897 years old, incredibly cautious, and trusted nobody. Since 1999, they've had 4 successful Blood Hunts. I'm beginning to worry about Kate's safety. I hope the Blood Trackers will never find out about her. One thing I can't understand – being humans, they have something that allows them to track day-walkers."

"The Blood Trackers. Huh?" Kate didn't like what she had read.

"I contacted the Watchers' Council. They also know about them. They are like contract killers. Someone hired them to get the blood of those 5 day-walkers, but they killed them. Good news is that they were vampires that chose dark side. Kate, you don't have to worry, you play for the good guys. Besides, you're with us, you're safe here", assured her Giles.

"Safe? Somehow I don't feel safe", murmured Kate.

"Hey, here we are." Buffy and Dawn entered the shop. Dawn carried a bag in her hand.

"What's up?" asked Buffy, seeing Kate's confused face.

"I need a break." Kate stood up and went to the door.

"Kate, wait. There's a 'blondes' party tonight at the 'Bronze'. You should come. It's gonna be fun. I have the blonde wigs for non-blondes." Dawn showed the bag.

"Ok, Dawn, later", smiled Kate. "Where does Spike live?" Kate asked Giles.

"I'll show you. I have to patrol tonight anyway." Buffy approached Kate.

"Giles, do you mind if we go to the 'Bronze'? I need a break from this 'day-walkers' stuff", asked Willow.

"Sure. Go." Giles himself needed a break, but he wasn't going to the club.

"We'll be waiting for you in the club, girls", said Dawn, putting on the blonde wig. "So, how do I look?"

Buffy and Kate left the shop.

*

The girls went to the cemetery.

"Kate, how old are you?" asked Buffy.

"I was 23, when Spike sired me in 1880. Do the math", answered Kate, reading the names on the tombstones. "Oh, look, this one was buried today." She pointed at the fresh grave.

"145. Cool. Are you still mad at Spike for making you who you are?" Buffy sat on the tombstone, waiting for the fresh vampire to rise, - or not, if it wasn't a vampire.

"First 10 years I was mad at him like hell. But then Charles, the grandfather of Victor McBryde, explained me the concept of the 'day-walkers' and I forgave Spike. He actually did me a favor in some kind of way." Kate sat near Buffy.

"What do you mean?" asked the Slayer.

"Well, if he hadn't sired me then, I would have died at 50 or 67 anyway, I don't know. Either way I would have become a day-walker, but an old day-walker. Ew!" shuddered Kate. "See, I was born a vampire, but the vampire in me was asleep and Spike's demonic blood awakened my vampire. Luckily, Charles found me right after I drank Spike's blood. If he hadn't, I would have become a bad day-walker with blood-thirst and the stuff. But Charlie gave me the ring and I didn't get addicted to blood as all vampires are. Are you waiting for him?" Kate pointed at the hand that appeared from the grave.

"Yep, the fresh one." Buffy waited for the new vampire to rise and without letting him understand what was going on, dusted him.

"Cool", said Kate, seeing the Slayer at work. "Buffy, what's between you and Spike? I sense some connection between you two." Kate looked at Buffy, who tried to clean her pants from the dusted vampire.

"Oh, God, you'll find out about it anyway. Spike and I were lovers. Spike convinced himself that he was in love with me and I was just using him to get rid of my problems. Then I realized how wrong I was and broke up with him. Then he had 'sex-on-the-table' with Anya. Xander and I saw it live and uncut; a little later he tried to rape me." Buffy sighed.

"Are you still mad at him?" asked Kate, standing up.

"Yes", said Buffy silently, but Kate heard her.

"For having sex with Anya or for attempting to rape you?" Kate's question hit the bull's eye. 

Buffy winced. "Kate, If you ask so many questions, I'll stake you", she threatened.

Kate laughed. "You'll stake me? I'm trembling with fear. C'mon, show me where Spike lives." 

*

Buffy led her to the crypt. Kate opened the door.

"When are you gonna learn how to knock, Slayer?" The girls heard Spike's voice from the darkness. "Oh, Kate, it's you."

"Nice digs, but a little dark" said Kate, entering the crypt. "Wait, how did you know it was me?"

"I like darkness. And I recognized your perfume." Spike came up to his sister and hugged her.

"By the way, Kate, nice perfume. What is it?" asked Buffy, standing near the door.

"It's Davidoff Cool Water. Do you like it?"

"Yeah. But I don't wear perfume very often. I don't want all vamps around to know that the Slayer is near", smiled Buffy.

"Good point. Spike, let's go to the 'Bronze'. There's 'only blondes' party tonight. You'll fit in." Kate was still in his arms.

"Sure, kitten." Spike looked at the Slayer, as if saying 'I'll go no matter whether you like it or not.'

Buffy nodded. "Let's go."

_'Bronze'  
  
_

Buffy, Spike and Kate came up to the club. The bouncer tried to stop Kate for being non-blonde.

"Oh, come on. I look bad with blonde hair." Kate tilted her head and pouted. "Let us in." 

The bouncer saw something dangerous in the girls' friend with bleached hair and decided not to mess up with him.

They entered the bar that was full of blonde people. Golden, platinum, sandy – all shades of blonde. After all, that was a 'blondes' night. Buffy looked around and saw Willow and Dawn in blonde wigs. "You just look at them!" She laughed.

Kate nodded. "Yeah, they look funny."

"You haven't seen Harris with blonde hair." Spike choked with laughter and pointed at Xander who stood at the bar, ordering drinks.

Kate suddenly got pale. "Kate, what is it?" Spike noticed his sister's change of mood.

"I don't know", whispered Kate, leaning against the wall. "I felt something …weird."

"What the hell is she doing?" Buffy noticed that Dawn was already in the middle of a heavy make-out session with a very cute blonde guy. She went to her.

"Weird", said Spike, seeing Willow and Anya practically hanging on another blonde guy who had a strange resemblance to the guy Dawn was busy with. "Kid, I'll be right back." He went to Xander. "Harris, what's wrong with the Red? I thought she liked girls", he pointed at Willow.

"I don't know. These three guys showed up recently and the girls sort of gone mad." Xander felt a little jealous when he saw Anya with that guy. "Why are you here?" he looked at Spike.

"Buffy and Kate invited me", said Spike, ordering scotch.

"Your sister is hot", noted Xander, looking over his shoulder at Kate, who went in their direction.

"Don't even think about it. Got it?" growled Spike, seeing Xander's interest in Kate.

Kate went past them. She was heading to Buffy, who stood near Dawn and was telling her something. Suddenly she bumped into a cute green-eyed guy with dark blonde hair. He looked at her and his eyes widened. "Davidoff", he whispered.

"Excuse me?" Kate looked at him inquiringly.

"I mean nice perfume. Would you like to dance?" he said and smiled. Even though Kate was a supernatural creature, his charm worked on her. She couldn't resist him. He took her hand and led her to the dance floor. Kate didn't understand what was happening to her, she was like under some spell.

He put his hand on her waist and took her right hand in his. He noticed the ring and frowned for a second.

"I'm Jake", he said, looking into her warm brown eyes.

"Kate", she whispered.

"Nice ring you have", he noted, maintaining the eye contact.

"It's a gift from my … grandfather", murmured Kate.

Jake pulled her close to him and whispered in her ear. "It's very noisy here. Let's go outside."

Kate nodded. "Ok." Actually, she was ready to follow him anywhere he would go.

Jake led her to the exit, nodding his brothers to follow him. Nick, holding Dawn, who paid absolutely no attention to what Buffy was saying to her, noticed him. So did Chris, who freed himself of Anya and Willow and followed his brother.

Willow and Anya came to their senses and, confused, went to Xander and Spike. "What has just happened?" asked bewildered Willow, who realized that she'd flirted with the man.

"You just flirted with that blonde guy." Spike pointed at Chris, who followed Nick and Jake, who was holding Kate's hand. "Where the hell is he taking her?"

"Is it me or these guys really look alike?" noted Xander.

"Oh, my God", gasped Willow. "It can't be…"

"Wil, what can't be?" Spike grabbed Willow and shook her.

Buffy and Dawn came up to them. "What's going on? Why are you shaking Willow?" 

"I think they've found her. The Blood Trackers", whispered Willow.

Buffy and Spike exchanged glances. "Xander, take care of the girls. Spike, follow me."

They left the club but the street was empty.

Jake led Kate to the dark alley behind the club. He suddenly grabbed her shoulders and pressed her against the wall. 

"Jake, what are you doing?" asked Kate, trying to free herself of Jake's firm grip.

Chris and Jake looked at the girl. "Is this her?" asked Chris viewing Kate from head to toe.

"Yes, I'm positive it's her", replied Jake and he noticed that Kate realized who they were. "Nick, your turn."

Nick took a syringe from his pocket, rolled the sleeve of her jacket, and stuck the needle in her vein.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" said Buffy, coming up to the busy company. "Let her go."

Chris approached Buffy and Spike. "Go away; this is none of your business."

Nick ignored Buffy's words and drew Kate's blood into the syringe. When it was filled with blood, he took the needle out of her hand and put the syringe in his pocket. The pain wasn't unbearable, but it allowed Kate to snap out of the trance. "I know who you are. You're making a big, very big mistake", she hissed.

Spike vamped out, seeing what Nick has done to Kate.  

"Vampire", said Nick, coming close to his older brother. "Go away. We don't need you."

Buffy took her fighting stance. "Tell you buddy to let the girl go, or you'll be sorry for messing up with me!" She said distinctively.

Chris smirked. "Oh, you scared the shit out of me."

"Why isn't anyone afraid of me tonight?!" exclaimed Buffy and attacked Chris. Spike, even knowing that hurting a human would trigger his chip, attacked Nick. And the fight began.

While her 'defenders' were fighting with the Blood Trackers, Kate managed to free herself of Jake's grip and slapped him. A trail of blood appeared in the corner of his mouth. He grinned. "Day-walker, give up. You and your friends won't win this fight."

Kate grabbed his neck and slammed him against the wall. "Hey, you two, give me my blood back and your whoever he is to you won't get hurt", she said loudly, addressing the fighters, but they were too busy to pay attention to her words.

Kate vamped out, leaned close to Jake, and licked the blood from his mouth. "Your blood is tasty. I could drink it all, y'know."

"What's going on here?" they heard people's voices from behind. She turned her head and Jake used the moment. He threw her against the wall. By a strange coincidence, at the very same moment, Chris did the same to Buffy and Spike had to stop his fight with Nick. He ran to the girls to see if they were alive. The Blood Trackers ran away, carrying Kate's blood with them.

Spike helped Buffy and Kate get up. "Are you ok?"

"They have my blood", said Kate.

*          *          *          *__

_Buffy's house_

_A little later after the above mentioned events_

"How could you let them take her blood?" yelled angry Giles, when he heard Kate's version of the events. "What if someone wanted to raise some demon or something else with the help of her blood? Have you ever thought about that?"

"They were too strong…" started Buffy, but Kate interrupted her. "Giles, I can trace my blood."

"What?" he looked at her.

"Yes, besides, I tasted the blood of one of them", nodded Kate. "If we trace my blood, we can find out who wants my blood. But this has to be done quickly."

"How the hell did they find you?" Giles was still angry.

"I think I know", said Willow, descending the stairs and entering the living room. "They used the 'Blood spell'."

"What's a 'Blood spell'?" asked Buffy, Spike, and Kate simultaneously.

"I read about this spell in McBryde's Chronicles. He assumed that those Trackers could use magic in their search for evil day-walkers", explained Willow.

"When I was in 'Bronze', I sensed very faint traces of magic, like someone had practiced magic not long before. But I couldn't figure out what that could mean", said Kate. 

"Wil, how does this spell work?" asked Buffy.

"The spell sounds like 'Blood of the Light, join Blood of the Dark.' These guys used their blood to find the geographical location of the subject in search. Probably their blood was 'Blood of the Light", said Willow.

"And my blood was 'Blood of the Dark'", whispered Kate and bit her lip.

"It can't be. You're on the good side", protested Giles.

"She drank my blood, the blood of the demon", said grimly Spike.

"Guys, this spell has a limited range", smiled Willow. "I think they used it when they were in LA." She blushed and added. "Chris said that he had come from LA."

"I'm calling Angel." Buffy stood up, took the phone, and left the room.

"Angel?" Kate raised her eyebrow. "Look, we know that one of them is Chris, the guy I danced with is Jake and  ... What's the name of the guy who took my blood, the third?" asked Kate.

"Dawn said his name was Nick", remembered Willow.

"Willow, we need to find out from where they came to Los Angeles." Giles was thinking what to do and how to find Kate's blood. "Kate, when did you leave Glasgow?"

"On September, 27th", answered the girl.

"Did you go straight to Sunnydale?" asked Giles. "You arrived at Sunnydale on Monday."

"Well, I kinda spent two days in Indianapolis", murmured Kate, realizing that she had left a trail.

"Kinda spent two days in Idianapolis? What the hell did you do there?" exclaimed Giles.

"I watched the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, but I left on Sunday. Next day I arrived at LA and then took the bus to get to Sunnydale", said Kate.

"Giles, what's the big deal? So, she made a stop at Indianapolis. What's of it? She came to Sunnydale anyway." Spike didn't understand Giles' concern.

"Spike, they tracked her somehow, they knew where she would go", said Willow. "Kate, who could know where you were going?"

"Vic and James, his butler. He drove me to the airport. Wil, you don't think that Vic could have told them, do you?" asked Kate, frowning. "Wait, I called Tony, he got me tickets to the Grand Prix, but Tony knows that I'm just a girl who loves Formula 1. Besides, Tony lives in Indianapolis and Victor said that Europe was not safe for me."

"Maybe the butler told them?" supposed Willow.

Kate got pale. "He knows who I really am." Then she sighed. "More than anything in the world he loves money."

Buffy returned to the living room. "I talked to Angel. He told that Cordelia had a vision about three young men hunting for the blood of the innocent."

"Who's innocent? Me?" Kate laughed. "Buffy, c'mon. I'm a vampire after all, I can't be innocent. I drank blood last night and today also. Although I didn't bite him, but his blood was incredibly tasty."

"Kate, you said you could trace your blood or the blood of one of the Trackers. How?" asked Giles.

"Well, a vampire can have a telepathic connection between him and his victim", answered Spike instead of Kate. "But this happens in rear cases."

Kate closed her yes and concentrated on her blood. She wanted to feel it, she called it, and then she saw a room, familiar faces, and …herself. It was as if she was looking at herself through someone else's eyes. 'Damn it!'

Kate opened her eyes. "I found my blood. In fact, half of it is sitting beside me." She looked at Spike. "Yes, brother, half of my blood is in you. No wonder I can't reach that part of my blood that travels who knows where."

"So, try to trace the Blood Tracker whose blood you drank", suggested Spike.

"I just licked a drop of his blood. I don't think I can find him if he already left the States", sighed Kate.

"What about the 'Blood spell'? You could use it. Only in a reversed way, something like 'Blood of the Dark, join Blood of the Light", suggested Willow.

"It could work", agreed Kate. "But if they did as you've said it should be three on three. Three drops of 'dark' blood looking for three sources of 'light' blood and I don't know anyone else present here who has 'dark' blood, except me and Spike." Kate shook her head.

"Angel has 'dark' blood", supposed Giles. "Spike, you and Kate should go to LA, find Angel, and try to trace her blood with this spell. Spike, do you know how to find him?"

"Yeah, I found him once", said Spike reluctantly. "Kate, you saved my life and I'll do whatever it takes to get your blood." He kissed Kate on the top of her head. They both stood up.

"I'll tell Angel that you would come", said Buffy, taking the phone and wondering how Spike and Angel would come along after what Spike had done to him once. 

"Be careful", warned Giles the vampires who came up to the door. "We'll keep looking for information."

The vampires said goodbye and left the house.

 When they were outside Kate asked. "Spike, how are we gonna get to LA? By bus?"

"No, kitten, I have a car", replied Spike, lighting a cigarette. 

They went to the garage where Spike had stashed his car and when Kate saw it, she laughed. "What is THAT?"

"My car, get in", said Spike dryly. Kate's words offended him.

"No offence, but the car looks like shit. And what do you see through these smoked windows?" asked Kate, sitting in the passenger seat.

"I see everything." Spike started the engine.

When they were on the road Kate asked him about his life and how he ended up in Sunnydale.

"5 years ago Dru and I came to Hell Mouth to restore our strength after the little showdown in Prague during which Dru got hurt. Guess who was already in town. Buffy, the Slayer. I decided to kill her. I was good at killing Slayers but she turned out to be a hard nut to crack", explained Spike.

"Dru…" said Kate, trying to recollect who that was. "Is that the bulgy-eyed girl who was with you and that other guy with dark hair when you… well, y'know."

"Yes, Kate, when I sired you and yes, that was Drusilla. She dumped me the first time for the Chaos Demon and the second time for the Fungus Demon. She thought I wasn't evil enough for her. Anyway, I returned to Sunnydale with only one goal – to kill the bloody Slayer, but I got caught by the bastards from the "Initiative" and they implanted a chip in my brains. That chip activated itself when I tried to hurt a human. To cut the story short, instead of killing the Slayer I fell in love with her." Spike was looking at the empty road and thinking that hating the Slayer was much easier that loving her.

"I know that you and Buffy were lovers, she told me", noted Kate, switching on the radio and trying to find some station.

"Yes, we were. She is the reason why I got my bloody soul back and went through this hell", laughed bitterly Spike. "The Slayer has a soft spot for vampires."

"What?" Kate raised her eyebrow in surprise.

"Angel was her lover and, how ironic! After the first night with her he lost his soul and became Angelus, soulless, ruthless monster", answered Spike, looking at Kate.

"Spike, eyes on the road, please. Angelus… this name seems familiar. Isn't he 'the Scourge of Europe'?" asked Kate.

"Yes, he is my sire."

"Wow, from this moment – details, please. If he's your sire that he's my sire too?"

"Ok, listen. We belong to the Master's line. The Master was an old and mighty vampire, but Buffy killed him. The Master sired Darla, a couple of centuries later she sired Angelus. Angelus sired Drusilla, but before that, he drove her nuts. Then Drusilla sired me and I sired you. I'm sorry about that." These last words Spike said quietly and sadly.

'I'm not mad at you anymore. In fact, I should thank you." Kate smiled. "So, technically, your Sire is Drusilla and Angelus is what? Sort of your grandfather? That means he's sort of my great grandfather, right?" asked Kate.

"Well, yeah. But Angelus is Angel now. He has his soul back. Look, kid, I don't think we should tell Angel or anybody else that you're a day-walker", told her Spike.

"Really? And how are we gonna explain him the 'Blood spell' and that I want my blood back?" asked Kate, yawning.

"I don't know. Kate, if we do trace these guys and if it turns out that they go to Europe, do we have to follow them? To Europe?"

"Relax, I have my passport with me and money is not the problem. Damn, I'm falling asleep. Spike, when we get to LA, wake me up." Kate closed her eyes and fell asleep.

*          *          *          *

Spike pulled over near Angel's office. It was long after midnight, but Angel, warned by Buffy, expected them. He heard the car stop near the office and came out to see who that was.

Spike gently touched Kate's face. Asleep, she seemed so peaceful, young, and innocent. "Kitten, we're in LA. Wake up."

"What? Where?" Kate opened her eyes and first didn't understand where she was. "Ah, Ok." She got out of the car and saw a tall dark-haired man who stood in the doorway and looked at the newly arrived.

"Spike, I can't say I'm glad to see you, but Buffy said it was really important", said Angel to the blonde vampire who locked the car, then came up to Kate and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Likewise, but she", he pointed at Kate who was shivering from the night cold air, "needs help".

"I'm freezing", said Kate. Spike took off his duster and gave it to Kate.

"Come in." Angel invited them in. "I'm listening", he said when they were in and Kate drank hot coffee, trying to get warm and trying at the same time not to fall asleep again.

"This is Kate, my sister. Remember her?" started Spike.

"Spike, don't be ridiculous. She can't be your sister. You're an old vampire and she's human, a young human. Look how she's shivering. She's cold. Vampires don't feel cold", snapped Angel, but then looked at Kate more intently and recognized her. "Oh, God!" He recollected the girl whom he told Spike to eat in1880. She hadn't changed, only her hair was shorter and darker now. "What the hell is going on?"

Spike opened his mouth to say something, but Kate interrupted him. "I'm really his sister and I remember you standing near him and telling 'Do, it, William, she's so fresh, young and tasty'. Pervert", she grumbled but then continued. "I'm a vampire, a day-walker to be exact. If you tell anyone else I'll kill you with my own hands", threatened Kate. "We came here, because we need your help. Tonight three Blood Trackers managed to get my blood. I don't know who wants it but I'd like my blood back. I want to use a 'Blood spell' to locate those guys and need a drop of your demonic blood", finished Kate and looked at Angel.

"Unbelievable", whispered astonished Angel.

"We don't have much time. These guys might be on their way to Europe and with every passing moment they might be getting farther and farther away from LA", insisted Kate.

"What do you need for this spell?" asked Angel.

'Well, as far as I understood, I need a map to locate them. Let's start with LA", suggested Kate. "If they are still in LA, I'll try to find them telepathically."

Angel stood up and went to another room to find the map.

"Kate, are you crazy? Why the hell did you tell him that you're a day-walker?" hissed Spike.

"I have a feeling I can trust him. Don't know why but still", whispered Kate to her brother.

Angel returned, carrying the map of Los Angeles. He spread it on the table. "What's now?"

"Now I need something sharp and something for the blood", replied Kate, coming up to the map. Angel took a knife and a saucer from the table drawer. "Will that do?"

"Yep. Give me your hand." Kate took Angel's hand, pierced the thumb, and squeezed some blood on the saucer. She did the same to Spike and herself. "Angel, where are we on this map?" she asked.

Angel found the location of his office. "Here."

Kate dripped the blood on the place and said. "Blood of the Dark, join Blood of the Light'. Repeat after me". Spike and Angel did as she said and a moment later, the drop moved, leaving the trail.

"What is that?" Kate pointed at the place where the drop had stopped.

"LAX", said Angel.

Kate sat on the couch and closed her eyes. She concentrated her thoughts on that green-eyed son of a bitch whose blood she had tasted, whose blood she craved despite the ring. 'Contact!' she felt as if she was in his head and saw two young men standing near him. She heard one of them, the guy who fought with Buffy, say:"Jake, what's wrong?"

_LAX_

"Jake, what's wrong?" asked Chris, looking at his pale brother.

 "Nothing, I just feel weird and… dizzy", said Jake, suddenly remembering the brown-eyed girl whose blood he was now carrying in his pocket.

The blood Trackers heard the announcement about the boarding on Flight 75 to Paris. "That's our flight, let's go", said Nick.

'Thank you' heard Jake in his head and the feeling of dizziness disappeared.

*          *          *          *

"They go to Paris, flight 75, leaving now", said Kate, when she snapped out of her telepathic contact and opened her eyes.

"How did you do that?" asked Angel. "This kind of contact needs a very strong emotional connection."

"Oh, I have the connection. I hate the bastard who has my blood", said Kate and thought 'and I like his blood'. "Ok, guys. Thanks for your help. I'm going to Paris." She rose to her feet.

"Hold on, kitten. You're not going alone there", said Spike, standing in her way.

"Oh, yeah? And how are you gonna get to the plane? And the sunlight?" Kate wondered.

"I'm going with you. Three is better than two. Besides, I can get us a plane", said Angel, taking the phone receiver and dialing a number.

"Hi, Peter, it's Angel. Sorry to call you so late, but I need your help."

"You know I don't sleep much. What's up?"

"I need a plane. My friend has to go to Paris immediately. Can you help?"

"I'll see what I can do", said Peter and hung up the phone. Ten minutes later, the phone rang. "The plane will be ready in an hour. I'll warn the pilot. How many passengers?" 

"One and two vampires", answered Angel.

"Ok, I'll ask my friend to meet you at the airport with the car. Angel, you'll owe me a big one", said Peter.

"Sure. Bye." Angel disconnected the call. "Kate, you'll go through the customs as usual. Do you have the passport?" 

Kate nodded and Angel continued. "Spike and I will work something out." Angel wrote a note to Cordelia.

*          *          *          *

An hour later Peter's private plane was airborne. Everything went smoothly and three vampires sat in the comfortable seats and discussed their further actions.

"If their final destination is Paris, I think I'll be able to keep tracking them", said Kate.

"They have a head start but we'll arrive at Paris earlier. We'll need a place to stay", said Angel.

"Don't worry. We have a house in Paris and since Vic's dead, I'm the owner now", assured him Kate and then she smiled.

"Why are you smiling?" asked Spike.

"I know how to get you from France to America", she answered.

ÒBC

**A/N **Reviews, please.


	3. The Adventures of Vampires in Paris 1

**Title**: **The Call of Blood**

**Summary:**  A new vampire in Sunnydale. A rather unusual vampire, who will change some lives. Early season 7. Buffy/Angel crossover.

**Rating: **PG, maybe PG-13

**Pairing:** I'm a 100% Buffy/Spike shipper, although Angel will be present in my story. 

**Timeline**: September – October 2002.

**Disclaimer:** Buffy, Spike and Sunnydale, etc, are property of those who own them – Joss Whedon and others, they are definitely not mine. Same goes with Angel. But Kate, Jake and other characters that appear in this story are mine. I borrowed some aspects of the concept of a 'day-walker' from "Blade". I love the movie :-)

**A/N**: This story takes place in Buffyverse, Angel is the only character from "Angel, the series". 

**A/N 2**: Warning: this story is COMPLETELY result of my imagination. Any similarity to other authors' plots, characters, or events is PURELY COINCIDENTIAL AND ABSOLUTELY UNINTENTIONAL.

**The Adventures of Vampires in ****Paris******

**Part 1**

The plane landed at a remote runway of the 'Charles de Gaulle' airport in the afternoon. Luckily, the day was rainy and the sky was clouded so the vampires didn't have to worry about sunlight. As Peter had promised, the car was waiting for them near the runway. The driver saw Kate coming out of the plane and approached her. "You are this 'one' passenger, right?" he asked. 

She nodded. "Yes." 

"I know about the vampires that arrived with you. They'll have to hide in the trunk. The cops let me drive to the runway and they know that I'm meeting only one passenger. If they see your friends, they'll want to check their passports. And I doubt that they have them", explained the man and Kate had to admit that he made sense. She returned to the plane and explained the situation to the vampires. 

"No way", was Spike's response.

"Are you sure this is necessary?" was Angel's.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Kate raised her eyebrow. The vampires didn't have any better ideas and reluctantly agreed to get in the trunk.

Kate came up to the driver. "I'll go through the customs. Wait for me near the exit."

She went through the customs easily, though the officer wondered about her baggage, or, to be exact, the absence of it.

Kate, pretending that she was about to burst in tears, said: "My uncle Lord McBryde died and I came as soon as I heard about his death. I even had no time to pack my bag." A tear rolled down her cheek.

"This is so sad", said the customs officer. As a true Frenchman, who valued woman's beauty, he believed the pretty girl who was devastated by her uncle's death. "You may pass, mademoiselle."

"Thank you", Kate took her passport and went to the information desk to ask about Flight 75. It turned out that the plane had landed 5 minutes ago and she went to gate 23 to meet the Blood Trackers.

She stood in the crowd of people expecting the newly arrived and saw the Blood Trackers. They went through the customs and exited the airport building to get a taxi. 

Kate hurried to the car and asked the driver to follow the taxi. She had a feeling that whoever wanted her blood wouldn't wait and that the Blood Trackers would contact him soon.

*          *          *          

Meanwhile in the trunk Spike and Angel were fighting for the territory. 

"Spike, move", hissed Angel, trying to settle himself in the trunk.

"Oh, shut up", Spike hissed back and moved Angel's boot from his face. "This is my sister's revenge for siring her."

Finally they settled. 

"So, Spike, you look different." Angel started 'small talk', trying to kill time.

"I have my soul back", said Spike casually as if he were talking about some thing that he had lent to someone and got it back.

"Oh. How's it going? With the soul, I mean?" asked Angel matter-of-factly.

"Ok. Actually, I almost died on Monday. The soul was driving me nuts but Kate showed up just in time and saved the day. For me", answered Spike.

"Does Buffy know about your soul?" 

"Yep. She was there when I was drinking Kate's blood. Giles found in some book that the blood of relative would cure me."

"And how did she take it? Your soul, I mean."

"We didn't talk much about that", answered Spike.

*          *          *          

The car followed the taxi, but lost it at one of the intersections. Kate cursed. "Damn it!" Then she took her wallet and found a piece of paper. "This is the address." She gave it to the driver.

McBryde's house was situated in a quiet suburb. The car pulled over near the iron gate. Kate thanked the driver and got out of the car. She came up to the trunk and knocked. "Knock, knock. Anybody home?" The answer was the muttered swearing of two old vampires. She opened the trunk and let them out.

"Kate, is this your bloody sense of humor?" grumbled Spike.

"Go into the house", said Kate and went to the driver. She asked him not to talk about the vampires in his trunk. The driver smiled. "I'm a vampire myself." The car drove off.

The vampires stood under the pouring rain. Kate came up to them. "Why are you still standing here? Go into the house", she said.

"In case you've forgotten, kitten, we are vampires, which means a) we can't enter a house without an invitation and b) we don't have the key", said Spike, trying to light a cigarette, but in vain.

"Oops, I forgot. Follow me. "Kate came up to the front door and rang the doorbell. A middle-aged woman opened it. "Katrin! You're back! Come in."

Kate entered the house and turned to the vamps that waited for the invitation. "Come in", she invited them. They entered.

"Claire, these are my friends, William and …" she looked at Angel, hesitating how to name him.

"Liam, my name is Liam", helped her Angel.

"Guys, this is Claire, the good fairy of this home", said Kate. The 'good fairy of this home' looked at Kate's friends with curiosity. 

"Oh, you're all soaking wet! I'll get you dry clothes", said Claire, seeing puddles of water on the floor that dripped from their wet clothes.

"Please, prepare the guest rooms on the third floor and my room too", asked her Kate and Claire, remembering her duties hurried upstairs.   

Some time later Claire returned and said that the rooms were ready. "Don't worry, Claire, I'll show them the rooms. Follow me, guys." With these words, Kate went upstairs.

*          *          *                      

Half an hour later, having taken a hot shower and put on dry clothes, Kate came up to Spike's room. "Spike, it's me. Open the door."

Spike, clad in a blue bathrobe, opened the door. Kate saw him and bent with laughter. "You're so cute and fluffy!!!"

"Oh, you…" Spike hissed, grabbed her arm, and dragged her in the room. "Your housekeeper took my clothes while I was in the shower. And look what she brought me! Come in", said Spike, hearing a knock on the door. The door opened and this time two vampires bent with laughter, seeing Angel in the doorway. Angel was wearing a pink bathrobe plus matching fluffy slippers with bunny ears. "You are so cute and fluffy TOO!!!" managed to utter Kate, still laughing.

"Your housekeeper has a rather peculiar sense of humor", noted Angel, sitting down in the armchair. 

"Let me guess. She took all your clothes while you were in the shower?" Kate calmed down a little, but still she tried not to giggle, seeing once extremely dangerous vampires looking like…

"Nice slippers", giggled Spike. Angel took a pillow from his armchair and threw it at Spike.

"Spike, shut up. If you tell anyone, I'll stake you", threatened Angel.

The budding pillow fight was interrupted by Claire who came in, carrying a bundle of clothes. "I hope they'll fit. Your clothes will be dry soon." She placed the clothes on the bed and left.

"These are Vic's", noted Kate.

"There's no way I'll wear dead man's clothes", said Spike.

"I can't say you're very much alive", retorted Kate. "Besides, until your clothes get dry, your only option is your blue bathrobe." Kate giggled again. "Ok, boys, get dressed. I'll be in my room." She went to her room.

Spike looked at the clothes. "Hmm, not bad." 

Angel took his and left. 

Spike put on the navy blue jeans and a black t-shirt. He found his boots under the bed and put them on too. He took his cigarettes and left the room. In the hall, he met Angel, who was wearing black jeans and a gray shirt. They both knocked on the door.

"Come in." They heard Kate's voice and entered. She was sitting on her bed, legs crossed, and eyes closed.

"Are you trying to find those guys?" asked her quietly Spike, coming up to the window. Angel sat on the couch.

"Yep. Now shut up." She concentrated her thoughts on the person whose blood was so tasty, that even her ring couldn't stop her from wanting to taste it once more. This time the contact was established immediately. She saw everything through Jake's eyes. 5 seconds later she broke the contact.

"So, what did you see?" asked Spike, looking out of the window. It still rained.

"They are in some hotel room. At least Jake is. He's alone…" Kate stopped for a second and then continued. "And he's in the shower."

Angel and Spike laughed.

"Very funny", grumbled Kate. "I didn't know he would be in the shower."

"Let's use the spell to locate them", suggested Angel.

"I'll get the map." Kate got off the bed and left the room.

Spike took a cigarette and lit it.

"How did you meet?" wondered Angel.

"You mean Kate and me?" asked Spike. "She showed up in Sunnydale on Monday. She brought a package to Giles. It turned out that her guardian or hell knows who he was had sent her away from Europe as it was dangerous for her to stay there."

Kate returned, carrying the map of Paris and the vampires' already dry clothes. She put the clothes on the bed and came up to the table. She spread the map, took a small knife from her pocket, and found the location of the house on the map. "Guys, you know the drill", she said, piercing her thumb and squeezing the drop of blood right on the map. Angel and Spike did the same; and Spike couldn't help himself but squeeze the blood with the words 'My hand is shaking, I'm afraid I'll drop the blood somewhere on the Eiffel Tower'. Kate giggled, but that didn't spoil the spell. The drop moved and its trail led to the small hotel in the center of Paris. "Hotel Dauphine" read Kate. She folded the map. "I think everyone will agree with me that we should go to this hotel." 

The vampires nodded and took their clothes from Kate's bed. "You know where to find us", they said and went to their rooms. 

Kate thought for a while and then came up to the wardrobe where she found a pair of black jeans, a black sweatshirt, a black leather jacket, and black military boots. She changed her clothes. "I look SOOO hot in black", purred Kate, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Then she put the map and the knife in her pocket and left the room, but didn't go to Spike's room. Instead, she went down the hall and opened the door to the room that used to be Victor's. She entered and saw a huge bookcase near the wall. There was a secret room behind the bookcase, but Kate saw only a couple of times how Victor opened the door. She decided to move the books at random and succeeded almost immediately. The bookcase slid away and Kate entered the room. One of the walls was a display of various weapons – guns, shotguns, machineguns and a sniper rifle in the middle of this display. Kate grinned, remembering Vic's words. 'Angel, this is all for a rainy day if there are no options." Kate had a gut feeling, that _this_ was that rainy day that Vic had meant. She left the secret room and closed the door. She went to Spike. "Spike, come out. I have a surprise for you." 

Spike opened the door. "What now? All I do is go from room to room."

"Spike, honey, do you like weapons? I know all men like weapons, cars, chicks, and booze", said Kate, grabbing Spike's hand and dragging him out of the room. 

"Kitten, where are we going?" asked Spike, following Kate. 

On her way to McBryde's room Kate knocked on Angel's door. "Angelus, come out!"

"I'm Angel and where the hell are you dragging him?" opened the door Angel, seeing Spike and Kate.

"Angel, do you want me you drag you too? I'm sorry, but my strength isn't enough to drag two big guys, so follow me", said Kate, looking at the dark haired vampire. Angel shrugged and followed her. They went down the hall. Near Victor's room, Kate let go of Spike's arm and opened the door. She came up to the bookcase, moved the book, and the bookcase slid away. 

"Bloody hell! What is it? Looks like your Vic prepared for a small war. Where's the nuclear bomb?" exclaimed Spike, from behind Kate's back. He came up to her so silently that she jumped up. "Don't sneak up on me like that! You almost gave me a heart attack", hissed Kate, looking at Spike.

"Vampires don't get heart attacks, their hearts don't beat", noted Spike, entering the room and looking at the weapons display.

"Newsflash, Einstein! My heart DOES beat, like any other human's", said Kate, taking the sniper rifle from the wall and looking around. She found a big black bag and put the rifle in the bag. "Choose your weapons, gentlemen."

Angel took a 9mm gun and Spike chose a Desert Eagle. "Kate, why are you taking a sniper rifle and why the hell do we need weapons?" wondered Spike, taking the ammo for his gun.

"I have a bad feeling that we might need them and the sniper rifle… just in case." Kate found the ammo for the rifle and put it in the bag.

"I remember Buffy with that rocket launcher when she destroyed the Judge", smiled Angel, looking for the ammo for his 9mm gun.

"Why would she need a rocket launcher to destroy a judge? A single gunshot in the head would kill him. Did Buffy have problems with the law?" asked Kate, taking the bulletproof vest and putting it in the bag. But then she changed her mind and put it on under the sweatshirt.

"For starters, the Judge was a demon and no forged weapon could destroy him, and …" Spike stopped, watching Kate's manipulations with the vest. "Why do you need a bulletproof vest?"

"Spike, human body is vulnerable. Of course, I have enhanced healing but if things go wrong, I don't want to get a bullet in the chest or stomach."

Kate put the guns in the bag, zipped it, and looked around, checking if she hadn't forgotten anything. Then she handed the bag to Spike. They left the room and Kate closed it. Vampires went to the door, but Kate said. "Wait, I forgot one thing."

She came up to the desk, opened the drawer, and thought which car to choose. Then she took the keys, closed the drawer, and put the keys in the pocket. "Now I'm ready."

They went downstairs where they met Claire. "Claire, you may be free tonight. In fact, I'm giving you a week off. You could visit you daughter and grandchildren in Lyon. " 

Claire smiled. "Thank you, Katrin. I'll start packing."

"Claire", Kate lowered her voice. "I want the house to be empty tonight. Tell the others to leave till tomorrow." She looked in Claire's eyes.

"When will you be back?" asked the housekeeper.

"Maybe in an hour, maybe in 5, I don't know", said Kate in a normal voice. "I mean it. I don't want anyone in the house tonight. Oh, tell Jacque to open the garage door." She turned to Angel and Spike, who watched the conversation with interested faces and said. "Let's get the car."

They went to the garage and Kate opened the door of the black Toyota RAV4. She liked the car - its powerful engine, comfortable interior and, what was more important, - the car had tinted windows. The vampires got into the car and she drove it out of the garage. It was a good day for vampires – rainy weather, no direct sunlight, besides it was getting dark. 

_'Hotel Dauphine'_

_An hour later_

"Yes, ok. We'll be there", said Chris and disconnected the call. He looked at his brothers who gathered in his room and waited for the call from their 'employer'. "He'll be waiting for us at the cemetery 'Three Oaks', Northern entrance, near the grave of Louise Garrott, year of death – 1759."

"When?" asked Nick, who was watching TV and was flipping through the channels.

"Midnight", answered Chris. "Jake, are you alright?"

"I feel dizzy", said pale Jake. Again he had this weird feeling of somebody's presence in his head, just like at the airport and in the shower for a brief moment. But the feeling faded away. "Guys, there's on thing I haven't told you about. The day-walker had the protective ring. She said her grandfather had given it to her."

"This is impossible. Protective ring, the Bouddong Ring, is a myth. Besides, she can't be on the side of the Light. Her blood was dark, definitely dark", said Chris persuasively.

Jake shrugged. "I know what I saw. The ring was just like in the book."

"Jake, the Bouddong Rings don't exist, not anymore", said Nick, switching off the TV and turning to his brothers. "Good vampires don't exist either. They are demons, it's their nature."

"I know what I saw", repeated Jake silently and came up to the window. He noticed the black Toyota RAV4, driving off.

*          *          *          

"They'll meet the buyer at the cemetery, Northern entrance, grave of Louise Garrott. At midnight", said Kate, breaking the telepathic contact.

"What cemetery?" wondered Angel.

"It's called 'Three Oaks'", answered Kate, starting the engine.

"Are we going to the cemetery? Right now? We have three hours left", said Spike, looking at the car clock.

"I have to buy one thing and then we'll go to the cemetery."

*          *          *

_'Three Oaks' cemetery. Northern entrance_

_Near _midnight____

The vampires found the grave the Blood Trackers talked about. Spike looked around. "There's nowhere to hide. The whole place is open."

"I wouldn't say that." Kate pointed at the crypt about 50 meters away from the abovementioned grave. "We'll hide on top of that crypt", she suggested. "I doubt they ever thought about the possibility of a stakeout."

They got to the top of the crypt and prepared to wait. Kate took out the sniper rifle, loaded it, and was ready to shoot if necessary.

"Have you done this before?" asked Angel, seeing Kate's confident movements.

"Yeah, but I don't want to talk about that. Spike, you'll be the cameraman." She took the digital camera from the bag and handed it to her brother. "Start filming when they meet the buyer. They're here", whispered Kate, seeing the movement at the graveyard. It was dark, the sky was still clouded, although the rain had stopped hours ago, but her vampire vision helped her in the darkness. "They're early." She looked at her wristwatch. "Unless…"

"Unless it's not them", said Spike.

"No, it's them." Kate recognized the brothers, besides she felt weird when Jake was around. "They are looking for the grave." She saw the flashlight in Chris' hand. Finally they found the necessary grave and few minutes later three dark figures, clad in black appeared near the grave. 

Kate frowned and looked in the telescope sight of the rifle. "I don't like how those guys appeared."

"Something tells me that our weapons will be useful very soon", said Angel, taking the 9mm gun from the bag.

"Spike, start filming", said Kate, looking at the group near the grave through the telescope sight.

"It's too dark", whispered the vampire and at the very same moment the sky cleared and the moonlight lit the graveyard.

"At your request", noted Angel.

The vampires saw the brothers talking to one of the men. Again, Kate thanked her vampire abilities for being able to hear the conversation between them.

"Do you have it?" asked one of the men.

"Why are you here, Gentry? Where's the boss?" asked Chris.

"Boss was very busy, he sent me", answered Gentry, holding one hand in the pocket.

Although it seemed suspicious, Jake decided to give the man what he had come for. He took the test tube with blood from his pocket and held it in his hand, not showing it to the man.

"Where's our money?" asked Chris calmly.

"You won't be needing your money anymore. Oh, yeah - you're fired." With these words, Gentry took out the gun from his pocket and aimed it at Jake. The other two men in black also took out their guns and pointed them at Nick and Chris. "Now, give me the blood."

"Ha, ha. Very funny!" smirked Nick. "Who died and made you the boss, Gentry?"

The man shrugged. "Wrong answer." The gunshots sounded like explosions in the quietness of the cemetery. Chris and Nick fell. "GIVE ME WHAT I CAME FOR", said Gentry, still aiming at Jake. 

Jake was in shock. He stared at his brothers, who lay unmoving on the ground. Then he turned to the man and growled "YOU SON OF A …" Two gunshots sounded as one. Jake grabbed his shoulder and fell on one knee. He managed to hide the tube in the inside pocket of his jacket.

Gentry stared at his hand. It was empty. His gun was on the ground some meters away from him. "There's someone here!" he shouted to his men. "Find the shooter!"

*

Kate quickly reloaded the rifle. When Gentry took out the gun and pointed it at Jake, she understood what was going to happen, and aimed at the man's gun. She made the shot seconds earlier than Gentry did and the bullet hit the gun. That saved Jake's life.

Gentry grabbed Jake and put him on his feet. "Where's the blood??!" 

Jake laughed. "Screw you!"

The man got furious and slapped Jake. "Look, your brothers are dead. Do you want to join them?"

"Go to hell", hissed Jake. Gentry took out another gun. (_Lying on top of the crypt Kate wondered, "how many guns does the man have anyway?') He put it right to Jake's head. "I'll find it either way. Give it to me and you'll die quickly and without much pain."_

Another shot from the rifle hit the man's gun. Again. 

"The shooter's on the top of that crypt", said one of the killers.

"So, kill him. What are you waiting for?" snapped Gentry, rubbing his wrist. Then he knocked Jake out.

The killers started shooting at that spot where they thought the sniper was.

"We're here like sitting ducks", said Angel.

"More like three black flies on the wedding cake, if someone bothered to look at us from above", noted Spike, still filming what was going on at the graveyard.

"So, shoot back. Just keep their attention and try not to kill them. Your souls won't allow you to do that either way", said Kate. She put aside the rifle, crawled backwards and jumped to the ground.

"My soul? My _chip_ won't let me do that!" hissed Spike. "Anyway, I'm just the cameraman."

"Kate, what are you doing?" Angel noticed that Kate got off the crypt, but she didn't hear him. "Spike, take the god damn gun and help me."

Spike switched off the camera and put it aside. He took the Desert Eagle from the bag and the fun began.

*

The shooters were too much absorbed in the incredibly exciting game 'kill the sniper on the crypt' to notice a dark figure that ran to the unmoving bodies of the Blood Trackers.

Gentry knelt beside unconscious Jake and started searching his pockets. Unfortunately for him, he didn't expect the attack and didn't see the fist that hit his face. Gentry fell on his back and passed out.

Kate came up to Chris and felt his pulse. Nothing. Then she knelt near Nick and took his hand. The pulse was faint. She slapped his cheeks and Nick opened his eyes. He saw the person whose blood had caused this mess. "You…" he whispered, "Why is your blood so important that we have to die for it?"

"You die for it because you're stupid", said Kate silently. "I don't bite. I'm a good vampire."

Jake came to his senses and saw the girl, sitting near Nick. He rose to his feet, though his shoulder hurt like hell, and came up to his younger brother. He knelt beside him. "Nick, hang on. I'll get you to the hospital", he whispered to him and then to Kate who looked at the brothers with mixed emotions of anger and compassion." It's your fault. None of this would have happened if you hadn't showed up."

"O, really? _a_) I told you, you were making a BIG mistake and _b_) if I hadn't showed up, you would've been dead by now. _c) I didn't start the shooting and, having saved you life, now I'm beginning to have second thoughts", hissed Kate. She let go of Nick's hand and the next moment her ring glistened in the silvery moonlight._

Nick's eyes widened. "Show me the ring", he managed to utter.

Kate sighed and said. "This ring prevents my blood thirst."

"It's the Bouddong Ring. It can h…" he didn't finish the word. Nick was dead.

"No!" screamed Jake, shaking his brother. "You can't die. You can't!"

Kate rose to her feet and looked around. There was something strange in the air. Then she realized. Silence. The shooting had ceased. She saw the killers, creeping up to the crypt and two dark figures, jumping off the crypt. Kate thought that Angel and Spike could take care of those guys. Her major concern was to get her blood back. She stood with her back to Gentry and didn't see that he came to his senses and that he reached for his leg to get another gun.

But she saw Jake who jumped to his feet. He was furious as hell; of course, his brother's death didn't make him too happy.

"Give me the blood ", said Kate. The two stared at each other, paying absolutely no attention to what was happening around them.

"Hey, you, bitch! This blood is for me!" Kate heard the man's voice and turned to him. "Why do you need it?" she asked, but didn't get the answer, only 5 bullets in the chest. The force of the shot threw her on Jake and they both fell. When Kate fell on him, Jake felt that something cracked in his inside pocket. 'Great! Now no one's gonna get this blood' thought Jake, lying under unmoving Kate.

Gentry came up to them and pointed the gun at Jake. 

"Man, how many guns do you have with you?" wondered Jake.

"I'm asking for the last time. Give me the damn blood and I'll let you live", said Gentry.

"Oh, now you'll let me live…" said Jake. "What happened to your 'give it to me and you'll die quickly and without much pain'?" Jake didn't care whether he would live or die. Not anymore. His brothers were dead… "About that blood… She cracked the tube when fell on me."

The man's face distorted with hatred. He took the bullets from his pocket, loaded the gun, and emptied it in Kate's chest. The next moment he was on the ground, not understanding what had hit him. His vision was blurry but he saw a blonde guy, who grabbed his head as if in pain, and a dark-haired man, who took Kate in his arms. Then the blonde guy came up to him and with the words 'nobody hurts my sister' knocked Gentry out.

Spike's head almost exploded when he hit Gentry, but Kate was more important. Angel put Kate on the ground. She was unconscious and he slightly slapped her cheeks to wake her up. 

"Aww! That hurt!" Kate opened her eyes. "What happened?"

"The guy emptied his gun in you", said Spike, feeling the pain go away. He helped her get up. "Kitten, that was a smart thing to put this vest on."

"Yep", said Kate, wincing. "Did you kill him?" She pointed at the man.

"Nah, he's unconscious", answered Spike. "We have to get out of here. Did you get your blood?"

"No." Kate saw Jake, who sat near Chris. "I must have cracked the tube when fell on Jake. Why did you stop shooting?"

"We ran out of bullets, and then we just knocked out those guys", said Spike. "Look, I'll get everything from the crypt. Wait here." Spike ran to the crypt.

"Are you ok, Kate?" asked Angel, searching Gentry's pockets. He found the wallet and took the driver's license from it.

"Damn it! Angel, do you hear this?" She heard the police sirens. They were far, but approached. "Cops! Spike, hurry!" She shouted and came up to Jake. "Jake, cops. They'll be here soon."

Jake snapped out of his reverie. "It's your fault." He looked at Kate. "Their blood is on your hands."

"Yeah, whatever. Actually, no, MY blood is on YOU. Look, Jake, do you want to get arrested?" she wondered.

The sirens were near and Kate already could see the flashlights of the cops that tried to find the place where gunshots had been heard. "Suit yourself, Jake. But if you want to know my opinion, get out of here and take your brothers' belongings that might help the police identify them and connect your dead brothers with you. I'm sure the cops would want to talk to you", said Kate.

Jake understood that she had a point and took his brothers' wallets and their hotel rooms' keys. "Help me", he said silently and looked at her. 

'He looks like hell', thought Kate, seeing his face. He was in pain, "Ok, follow me."

Spike returned with the bag. "Why are you taking him with us?"

"He's wounded." Angel sniffed the air and felt fresh blood.

"He knows who wants my blood", said Kate. 

TBC 

**A/N** I don't get it. Where are the reviews? Is this story THAT boring? Just let me know if you read it.


	4. The Adventures of Vampires in Paris 2

**Title**: **The Call of Blood**

**Summary:**  A new vampire in Sunnydale. A rather unusual vampire, who will change some lives. Early season 7. Buffy/Angel crossover.

**Rating: **PG, maybe PG-13

**Pairing:** I'm a 100% Buffy/Spike shipper, although Angel will be present in my story. 

**Timeline**: September – October 2002.

**Disclaimer:** Buffy, Spike and Sunnydale, etc, are property of those who own them – Joss Whedon and others, they are definitely not mine. Same goes with Angel. But Kate, Jake and other characters that appear in this story are mine. I borrowed some aspects of the concept of a 'day-walker' from "Blade". I love the movie :-)

**A/N**: This story takes place in Buffyverse, Angel is the only character from "Angel, the series". 

**A/N 2**: Warning: this story is COMPLETELY result of my imagination. Any similarity to other authors' plots, characters, or events is PURELY COINCIDENTIAL AND ABSOLUTELY UNINTENTIONAL.

**The Adventures of Vampires in ****Paris**

Part 2

They got to the car safely. Kate started the engine and drove off. 

Spike was sitting in the passenger seat and Angel and Jake sat in the backseat.

"Jake, you're wounded, right?" said Kate, feeling the scent of incredibly tasty blood.

"Yes, in the shoulder. Why aren't you dead?" asked Jake, remembering how many times Kate had been shot.

"I'm wearing a bulletproof vest", answered Kate. "Spike, what's wrong with you?" She looked at Spike, who was very tense and tried hard not to vamp out.

"The blood scent is driving me nuts. Hurry!" said Spike.

"Does Angel look the same?" she asked Jake.

"Yeah, pretty scary", answered Jake and moved away from Angel, who obviously was fighting the temptation to vamp out and drink Jake's blood.

"Don't worry, we're almost there", assured them Kate.

Soon she pulled over near the mansion. "Spike, Angel, could you get out and open the gate?"

The vampires were almost happy to get out of the car. They opened the gate and Kate drove Toyota to the yard. She and Jake got out of the car and came up to the front door. She opened it and entered the house. "Anyone home?" Kate hoped that Claire did as she had asked and the house was empty. The house WAS empty. 'Thanks, Claire' thought Kate and turned to the vampires and Jake, whose shoulder hurt like hell and he could barely stand. "Coast is clear." 

They went to Kate's room. Jake sat on her bed.

"Show me your shoulder", said Kate, ignoring that weird feeling that she had in Jake's proximity. 

He took off his jacket and she saw that his t-short was soaked with blood. She helped him take off the t-shirt and looked at the wound. 'Nice abs' she thought, seeing his naked torso and the wound in the left shoulder. The shoulder was shot right through but the wound wasn't awful. "Damn it!" cursed Kate. "It's a gunshot wound and I can't take you to the hospital. Doctors are obliged to report the police about gunshot wounds and if the cops …" she stopped, looking at the expression on Jake's face. He looked at something that was behind her back. "What?" she asked and turned. Angel and Spike stared at Jake's wound and the blood with hungry expressions on their vampire faces. 

"Down, boys, down", said Kate and stood between them and Jake. "Guys, I feel that you want blood but…" she sighed. "Look, you'd better leave. You can take the weapons back to where they were", suggested Kate. 

Both vampires nodded and left the room. 

Kate went to the bathroom and brought the first-aid kit. She cleared the wound and put the bandage on it. "This is all I can do. I hope it won't get infected", she said, then stood up abruptly and went to the bathroom.

She washed her face with cold water. "Chill down, girl", she murmured, looking at her reflection in the mirror. She also was fighting the temptation to feel the taste of Jake's blood. "What kind of blood is that, that even my ring doesn't prevent the thirst?" she murmured, taking off the jacket. Then she took off the sweatshirt and the vest.

"Oh, boy. I'll look like a Dalmatian with these bruises." She inspected the bruises from the bullets that had hit the vest. Kate noticed a big haematoma on her left side and touched it. "Sssss", she hissed from pain.

"I'd say you'll look like a cheetah with these bruises", noted Jake, standing in the doorway. "You should get an X-ray; maybe you have a couple of cracked ribs." She looked in the mirror and saw him. He continued. "Or at least put some ice on the ribs."

"I'll live", said Kate. "Does your shoulder hurt?"

"Like hell. Do you have any painkillers?" 

She opened the medicine cabinet. "Only aspirin, but I doubt if it will work. You need something stronger than aspirin." She turned and went to the bedroom where she immediately bumped into Angel. "Do you, vampires, have a conspiracy to give me a heart attack?" she asked, wincing from sharp pain in her ribs.

"Kate, you look like a leopard with these bruises", noted Angel, seeing her bruises.

"She called herself a Dalmatian", said Jake.

"Why are you wincing?" Angel noticed the grimace of pain on Kate's face. "Does it hurt you to breathe?" 

"A little", answered Kate.

"Let me see." Angel turned her to the light to have a better view of the bruises. He touched her ribs. "Does it hurt?"

"Why are you touching my sister?" asked Spike, who had just entered the room and saw what was happening. "Bloody hell! Kitten, you look like…"

"Would you STOP comparing me to the animals with spots?!!" snapped Kate and, suddenly realizing that she was surrounded by three men and was wearing only jeans and a bra that didn't cover much, went to the wardrobe and took the first thing that her hand touched. It turned out to be a light blue denim shirt with long sleeves and she put it on. Kate immediately felt better and warmer.

"Kate, you need to get to the doctor", insisted Angel. "Cracked ribs can be a nasty thing."

"Oh, what do you know about cracked ribs?" retorted Kate but then she sighed. "I guess you're right." She reached for the cell phone that she had left on the table and felt the pain again. Kate dialed the number.

"Hello, sorry to call you so late. Can I speak to Dr. Bordeaux?"

"This is Dr. Bordeaux. Whom am I speaking with?"

Kate sighed with relief. "Claud, I'm so glad it's you."

"Oh, Mon Dieu! Katrin!" The woman's voice on the other side of the line was full of surprise. "Where are you?"

"I'm in Paris and I need your help, Claud", said Kate.

"Sure, come to the clinic. I'll meet you there", agreed Claudia Bordeaux, Kate's best friend.

"I'll be there in an hour or more. "

"Ok, I'll be waiting", answered intrigued Claudia and hung up the phone.

Kate was holding the phone in her hand, thinking of something. Then she looked at Jake. "I'll get you to the doctor." And then she added. "We must leave Paris as soon as possible."

"I need to get my things from the hotel", said Jake. "Gentry knows how to find me and if the cops arrested him and he started talking…Kate, I'm offering a deal. You get me out of the country and I'll tell you everything I know. And I know a lot about day-walkers."

Kate bit her lower lip, looked at the wristwatch and then said. "It's 2 in the morning. If things go as I want, we'll be out of France by the evening. Jake, I'll get you out of the country. Here's what we'll do: first we'll go to Claud, she'll take a look at Jake's wound and at my ribs, and then we'll meet a couple of my friends." She put her cell phone in the pocket of her shirt, took her passport from the table and found a small leather backpack. She put it on her shoulder.

Hearing Kate's words, Spike frowned. "Kate, are you sure this is a good idea to take him with us?"

Kate didn't answer. She went to the bathroom, took the vest, her jacket and the sweatshirt. The sweatshirt and the jacket were full of holes. She also took Jake's t-shirt and the jacket.

"Kate, I can't go like this", said Jake, meaning that he had no shirt.

She nodded. "I'll find something for you. Let's go."

They all left the room and went downstairs.

"Give him the bathrobe", said Spike and Angel added. "And those slippers with bunny ears."

"Ok, you two comedians, go to the car", said Kate, giving Angel blood stained clothes full of holes. She didn't follow them. She went to McBryde's room and took a shirt and a leather jacket for Jake. Then she came up to the wall, where Vic's favorite painting was hanging. She moved it away and saw the wall safe. Kate knew the combination and took a pack of money and some papers. The money and the papers went to the backpack. Then she closed it and went to the secret room. She put the vest near the wall, took the empty bag, and noticed the digital camera that Spike must have left. Kate put it in the backpack and left the room.

The vampires and Jake waited for her in the hall.

"The car is locked", said Spike. Kate took the car keys from the back pocket of her jeans, handed them to Spike and the bag to Angel. "Angel, put those clothes in the bag, please." She gave Jake the shirt and the jacket and waited for the others to leave so that she could lock the house. Kate switched on the security system and left.

When she got in the car, the pain returned, but she didn't show how much the ribs were hurting her.

*

Kate parked her Toyota near Claudia's clinic. Claudia was already waiting for her. They all got out of the car and went to the entrance. Claudia led them to her office.

"So, what can I do for you?" she asked when the door closed.

"Claud, they are hungry", Kate pointed at Angel and Spike. "Could you get them some donor blood?"

"I'll se what I can do." Claudia didn't seem surprised, having heard such a request.

"He's shot", Kate pointed at Jake, "and I want you to take a look at my ribs."

"Ok, Kate, I'll be right back." Claudia left the room.

"Your friend is amazing", said Angel. "Does she know who you are?"

"I saved her life when she was attacked by a vampire. I got injured and she turned out to be a doctor", answered Kate. "Since then we are best friends."

Claudia returned, carrying 2 plastic bags with blood. She handed them to the vampires and told Kate and Jake to follow her. Kate handed her backpack to Spike with the words 'look after it'.

When they left, Angel looked at the blood. "Oh, O (+), my favorite!"

Spike also had the bag with O (+) blood. "Well, I prefer A (-), but this will do."

Claudia took Kate to the 'Radiology' to make an X-ray of her ribs and while Kate was busy Claudia led Jake to the exam-room to look at his shoulder.

"I won't ask how you got shot. Your wound looks not bad." She said, having put a new bandage on his wound. "Does it hurt?"

"Yes", answered Jake, putting on the shirt.

"I'll give you painkillers." Claudia took a bottle of pills from the medicine cabinet and gave it to Jake. "Kate, your boyfriend will live", she said when Kate entered the exam-room, carrying the films.

"He's not my boyfriend, not even a friend", retorted Kate and gave the films to Claudia. "So, what's the verdict, doc?"

Claudia looked at the films. "Good news, your ribs are not broken, only a few cracks. Not boyfriend? Huh!" said Claudia, smiling. "He's very cute. And would you bring your wounded enemy to the clinic in the middle of the night?" She raised an eyebrow and looked at Kate.

"He has a very important information that I need, that's all", assured her Kate.

"Yeah, right." Claudia didn't believe her. "With your healing abilities the ribs will be fine in a couple of days. The bruises won't hurt long but will look not very attractive", she added quietly. They left the exam-room and went to Claudia's office.

"That's very comforting", said sarcastically Kate, imagining herself like a Dalmatian in some days. "Thanks for your help. Claud, if anyone asks about the guy with gunshot wound, matching Jake's description…"

"Yeah, I know. Never saw him", finished Claudia Kate's sentence. "Are you in trouble?"

"No, I don't think but just in case." Kate entered the office and saw a lovely view of two vampires, sipping the blood. "You know, you need cigars to complete the picture of two gentlemen, drinking scotch after a heavy meal", she noted.

"For us blood IS the scotch and the heavy meal", said Angel, finishing his bag of blood.

"Kitten, I haven't drunk human's blood for a long time." Spike also finished his bag.

"Oh, and my blood doesn't count? Is it not human enough?" Kate raised her eyebrow. "C'mon guys, we have to go", she insisted.

The vampires stood up and went to the door. "Thanks for the blood", said Angel to Claudia.

"I didn't know vampires could be so cute", whispered Claudia to Kate when she was locking the door of her office.

Kate smiled. "Claud, vampires are not cute. They are dangerous, soulless, and ruthless demons. These two", she meant Angel and Spike, "have souls that don't let them hurt humans."

They were walking down the hall, when one of the doctors stopped Claudia.

"I have to go. It's an emergency", said Claudia, having talked to the doctor.

"Don't worry, we'll find the way out." Kate hugged her friend. "Remember what I said."

"Sure. Be careful", nodded Claudia.

*          *          *          

"So, where do we go now?" asked her Spike when Kate was driving the car through the empty streets of Paris.

"Hotel Dauphine", answered Kate.

"How did you know where I live?" asked her surprised Jake.

"Long story", replied Kate.

"C'mon, Kate, tell him how you found him in the shower", teased her Spike.

"You found me WHERE? In the SHOWER?!" Jake couldn't believe his ears.

"Hotel Dauphine. Your stop, Jake. And make it quick." Kate braked hard in front of the hotel and the tires screeched.

*

When Jake left, she took the cell phone and dialed a number.

"Leo, this is Kate. Are you still in business?"

"Kate, why the hell are you calling me in the middle of the night?" grumbled Leo, but he didn't sound sleepy.

"Are you still in business?" she repeated her question.

"Yes, and you sound like you need my help", answered Leo.

"You got that right."

"You know the address. And don't forget about the money."

She disconnected the call.

"Kate, what are you up too?" asked Angel.

"You'll see", answered Kate slyly. "You'll see…"

Jake exited the hotel door, carrying a bag. He got in the car and said. "All set. We can go."

Kate looked at the car clock. It was almost 4 in the morning. She started the engine.

*          

The clock showed '5' when she stopped the car near the bar called 'le Lyon Noir'.

"The sun is about to rise", said Angel.

"I know, don't worry", assured him Kate and got out of the car. "Let's go. What are you waiting for? For the sun to rise?" she said to her passengers, went to the door and knocked on it.

The small window in the door opened and she saw a big face of a big guy. "What do you want? The bar's closed", he said.

"Leo's waiting for me", she said.

"Come in." He let them in. Kate went to the room with the sign 'Do not enter. Danger' and opened the door.

"Kid, you don't need an invitation anymore?" A tall black man smiled when she appeared in the doorway.

"It's a public place and I don't need the invitation, Black Lion. I've been here. Remember?" Kate also smiled and hugged the man. "What's with the sign? You'll scare off all clients."

Leo took her face in his hands and said. "Still beautiful as ever. Don't worry, those who know won't get scared off. Good to see you, kid." Then he saw vampires behind her back. He let go of Kate and asked. "Since when do vampires need my help?" 

"Since now. Leo, I need a favor." Kate sat on the chair. "The sun's about to rise and… Oops, almost forgot. This is Spike", she pointed at the blonde vampire, "Angel and Jake. Jake isn't a vampire."

Leo took a cigar from the box on the table and lit it. "So, Spike and Angel, or should I say, William the Bloody and Angelus, the 'Scourge of Europe'. I heard about you." He exhaled the smoke.

Kate wrinkled her nose. "Ew! The smell is awful! Leo, you can discuss the good old times later and now let's talk about business."

"Talk."

"Can you make 2 fake death certificates, so that I could get Angel and Spike out of the country?"

"What about him?" Leo pointed at Jake.

"I don't need a death certificate, if that's what you mean. I'm still alive", said Jake.

"Not for long", noted Spike and Jake looked at him with 'what-is-that-supposed-to-mean' expression on his face.

"In your dreams, Spike", said Kate. "First information."

"First get me out of the country", snapped Jake, "and then we'll talk."

"I thought you wanted to talk about business, kid", said Leo.

"Yeah, right. I want to transport them to the States under the names of Jake's dead brothers – Chris and Nick. I don't know their last name."

"What about my brothers?" asked Jake.

"Later. Jake, give Leo their passports." She looked at Jake. He sighed and took the passports from his bag.

"When we were in the plane you said you knew how you would transport us to America", said Angel. "Did you have THIS in mind?"

"Well, I didn't know that Jake's brothers would die and certainly I didn't think that he would go with us to America. I had another plan but things turned not as I expected", explained Kate.

"That will cost you two grand. Each." Leo looked at Kate through the cigar smoke.

"Dollars?" asked Kate.

"Euros. It's the European Union, y'know."

"I thought you didn't trust the European currency. And 4 thousand Euros for two papers? Isn't this too much?" exclaimed Kate.

"Kid, I have to pay some people to get these papers'", said Leo.

"Ok, you'll get your money. I'll be back." Kate stood up and went o the door.

"Kate, when will you be back?" asked Spike.

"Next Christmas", answered Kate. "Of course I'll be back today. Jake, are you staying?"

"No, I'm going with you."

*          *          *          *

_Law office 'D'Arcy, Siegfried, and Ryan'_

Kate and Jake entered the office. It was early for the lawyers' clients to be there, but it was the time for the lawyers to come to work.

She went to the second floor and opened the door with the sign 'Frederick Ryan'. "Fred, where's your assistant?" she shouted, entering the empty room.

"Why are you screaming? She hasn't come yet", answered Frederick Ryan, coming out of his office into the reception room. "Claudia called and said you'd dropped by, so I figured that you'd pay me a visit too. Go to my office. I need to send a fax."

They entered the office and Kate fell on the leather couch. "God, I'm dying. I've been up all night, driving and driving. I'm not a bloody Bunny Energizer", she moaned, lying on the couch. 

Jake sat in the comfortable armchair. The only thing that stopped him from falling asleep was the nagging pain in his shoulder. "Kate, I need to take a painkiller. Where can I get some water?" he asked, reaching for the bottle of pills. 

Kate shouted again. "Fred, could you bring me a bottle of mineral water?"

"Katherine, what did you get into this time?" asked Frederick, entering his office and carrying a bottle of mineral water.

"Give the water to Jake", waved her hand Kate. "Fred, I need your private jet."

"Just like that? A jet? Would you like my yacht in addition?" Fred raised an eyebrow.

"Nah, I have to get to the States and I want to leave today", Kate sat up. "Freddy, please. Do you know why Vic sent me away from Glasgow? It was dangerous for me to be in Europe."

"Then why are you here?" asked Fred.

"Huh! With my luck this 'danger' found me easily", said Kate, rubbing her eyes. She was tired and wanted to sleep.

Fred came up to his desk and took an envelope.

"Are you gonna help me or not?" asked Kate.

"Kate, I got a letter last Saturday. It was from Victor and this letter was inside. It's for you." Frederick handed her the letter. She saw the familiar handwriting and her eyes started to fill with tears. She was afraid to open the letter.

"He left the will. You are the only heiress of everything that he owned. Kate, with his death the male line of the McBrydes is over", said sadly Frederick. 

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she recollected Charles, Arthur, Victor – her mentors, her friends, her guardians. Now she was on her own. She wiped away the tears and said firmly. "Fred, I need the god damn jet."

"Ok, you'll get it. I'll make necessary arrangements."

"That's not all. I need all papers that are necessary for transporting the coffin abroad." Kate stood up, putting the envelope in her backpack.

Fred's eyes widened. "Do you want take Victor's body with you?"

"No", answered Kate, "somebody else's. Two, actually."

"Ok, I'll prepare those papers. Anything else?" asked Frederick

"I also want to take my Toyota with me", said Kate as if talking about a cat, not about a car.

"I'll prepare THOSE papers too. What else?" Fred was taking notes.

"Nothing. Jake, let's go." The painkiller worked and Jake dozed off. She shook his uninjured shoulder. He opened his eyes. "Jake, let's go", repeated Kate. 

Jake stood up and went to the reception room. 

"One more thing, Fred. I DID get in trouble. Well, sort of. I think that today's papers will be full of reports on the night's shooting at the cemetery and two dead bodies. I'm involved in the shooting. No, I didn't kill the guys", said hastily Kate, hearing Fred's 'Did YOU kill them?' "I just was there. Fred, those guys were Jake's brothers and now they are in some fridge in some morgue of some Parisian hospital probably unidentified. Can you take care of them? I mean a funeral. And I'd like you to keep me informed about this case, I know you have sources in the police. Ok?" she asked quietly. 

Fred nodded. "Is this connected with Victor's sending you away?"

"Yes, and I want to know everything about the alive guys that I hope got arrested at the crime scene. If you find something out, e-mail me." She kissed him on the cheek and left the office.

"I'll call you when I get everything ready", said loudly Frederick.

Jake waited for her in the reception room. 

"When will this day be over?" moaned Kate. "C'mon, Jake, one more visit."

*

Her next stop was the undertaker's office. It was already open and they were first clients. Kate and Jake entered it and a short bald man came out to meet them. He immediately put a mournful look on his face as he spotted in these two the clients. The young man was pale and the beautiful girl looked as if she'd cried all night. 

"I'm sorry for your loss", he began in a soft and soothing voice.

"Yes, it's a tragic loss", nodded the girl. "My boyfriend lost his brothers in the car crash. Now I'm his only close person and his only support."

Jake would have laughed, seeing the comedy Kate was playing, but sharp pain gripped his heart when he thought about his dead brothers. Moreover, Kate gave him a nudge in the ribs and he winced.

The undertaker saw the young man's distorted face and came to a conclusion that the loss of his brothers caused him physical pain.

"How can I help you?" he asked silently.

"We need to buy two coffins. Chris, the older brother was about 6'4'' and Nick – 6'. Please, find coffins of this size", asked him Kate and looked at Jake. He clenched his teeth. Judging by the look on his face, she had to finish the comedy.

"Follow me", said the undertaker. 

"I'll choose", said Kate and followed the man. She chose the coffins quickly, but the question was how to transport them to the bar – two coffins, brought to the bar in the broad daylight, would attract unnecessary attention. THAT Kate didn't want. She called Leo and asked him to send someone to pick up those coffins. She gave him the address and went to the undertaker to pay for them. Leo sounded weird when she was talking to him, but she didn't pay much attention.

*

When the black van pulled over near the back door of the undertaker's office, Kate had to explain the man why she didn't want to use the catafalque. "See, that was their favorite van and they would've wanted to be driven to the place of their final rest in exactly this van", Kate tried to explain, thinking 'what the hell am I saying?'

The man nodded. "Of course. If it was their favorite van…"

She and Jake got into her car and followed the black van. 

*

The van stopped near the back door of the club. The alley was empty. That was a good sign.

Kate and Jake went to Leo's office. 

"What did you do to them?" she almost yelled when entered the room. Angel and Spike lay unmoving under the table. Then she looked at the table and understood everything. Three bottles of tequila, actually, tequila was in them when they were filled. Now they were empty.

"Leo, do you remember what this tequila does to vampires?" she pointed at the label. The label said 'Blue Agave'. 

"We didn't notice that we drank all three bottles." Leo hiccupped and started to sing:

Tu m'as promis,

Et je t'ai cru,

Tu es foutu,

Tu-tu-tu,

Tu-tu-tu-tu

Jake burst out laughing, but to Kate the whole situation was less amusing.

"Jake, can you imagine what'll happen if they wake up in the coffins and start singing? If this happens when we're in the plane – let them sing, but when they start singing at the customs?" she imagined the situation and bent with laughter. "Leo, why are you singing this song?" she moaned, laughing and feeling pain in cracked ribs.

"It was on the radio when we were drinking." Leo stopped singing this song and started another:

Belle   
C'est un mot qu'on dirait inventé pour elle   
Quand elle danse et qu'elle met son corps à jour, tel   
Un oiseau qui étend ses ailes pour s'envoler   
Alors je sens l'enfer s'ouvrir sous mes pieds

  
"Dear God! Please, let us walk through the customs easily, without vampires singing in the coffins", prayed jokingly Kate.

Leo stopped singing 'Belle' and started:

Getadelt wird wer Schmerzen kennt,  
vom Feuer das die Haut verbrennt,  
Ich werf ein Licht ,  
in mein Gesicht,  
Ein heisser Schrei,  
Feuer frei!,  
  
Bäng bäng,  
  


"Ok, that's it!" She took the empty bottle and smashed it against Leo's head.

"Thanks, kid." With these words, Leo passed out. Kate slapped his head, trying to wake him up. "What?" asked Leo, coming to his senses. 

"Why the hell did you give them 'Blue Agave'?" asked Kate 

"We were talking about good old times, then I took a bottle of tequila. I didn't look at the label until I took the third bottle, but it didn't matter then", explained Leo. "I'll have a hangover later", he moaned.

"Oh, yes, you will. How much did they drink?" asked Kate.

"A bottle and a quarter", said Leo. Kate frowned. When she heard the word "**each**", she sighed deeply and heavily. "That's it, Leo. There's no way I'll bring you tequila IN THIS MILLENIUM!" The last words she shouted out very loudly.

"Easy, kid, my head will explode", winced Leo.

Kate's cell phone rang. "Let it not be Fred, please, please, please", she murmured, but IT was Fred.

"Everything is ready. The plane is scheduled to leave in 50 minutes. I'll bring the papers to the airport", said Fred and disconnected the call.

Kate sighed again. "What did I do to deserve this? It's all your fault, Jake."

"MY fault?" raised an eyebrow Jake. "No, Kate, it's YOUR fault. If you hadn't followed us to get your blood back, none of this would have happened. Chris and Nick would have been alive and your vampires wouldn't be in this 'singing' condition."

"If I hadn't followed you, YOU would have been dead and my blood would have been used for hell knows what purposes. The Apocalypse goes first in my list of these purposes", raised her voice Kate.

"Kids, I don't mean to interrupt, but don't you have a plane to catch?" asked Leo. He heard what Fred had said to Kate.

Kate had to admit that Leo had a point. "Leo, can us help us load them in the coffins?" she asked.

"Ok, where are the coffins?" wondered Leo, wincing from the killing headache. "Somebody, kill me…"

"With pleasure, but I have no time for this right now", said Kate. "Look, can you ask someone to help us? Jake is injured and I have cracked ribs."

Leo left the room and a little later returned with the bouncer. 

"I'll go to the coffins and you first carry Spike", said Kate and went to the van. When she was outside, she looked around. The alley was still empty. She got in the van and opened the lid of the smaller coffin. Leo and the bouncer carried Spike in the van and put him in the coffin. Kate opened the lid of the other coffin and went to the bar. 

"What?" asked Leo, when he and the bouncer carried Angel.

"I need a scotch or something to shut their mouths so that they wouldn't sing if they wake up when we go through the customs", explained Kate. 

"I'll bring it to you." Having loaded Angel in his coffin, Leo went to his office. He brought the scotch and Kate taped Spike's and Angel's mouths.

"Leo. Did you do what I asked?" wondered Kate, remembering why she had brought the vampires to Leo.

"Yes." Leo went to his office again and brought the death certificates and the passports. "I wrote 'heavy 3d degree burns' as the cause of death so that the people at the customs wouldn't open the coffins", said Leo, giving Kate the papers.

Kate took the money from her backpack and handed it to Leo. "Thanks, Leo. But I won't forgive you for what you had done to them", she pointed at the coffins. "Bye, Black Lion."

She told the van driver to go to the airport, and went to her car. Jake followed her.

"Damn it! I forgot! Jake, give me your painkillers." She grabbed the bottle and the bag with the blood stained clothes, full of holes, and stormed out of the car. She burst into Leo's office. Leo was sitting at the table, grabbing his had and moaning silently. "Somebody, kill me…"

"Leo, last favor. Burn this bag with everything that's in it", said Kate. Leo nodded and returned to his 'somebody kill me'. "Oh, yeah. Take these, 3 pills will do." She took 3 pills from the bottle and gave them to Leo. Then she ran to her car.

_At the airport_

Fred was already waiting for her near the customs. He gave her the papers for the car and the coffins. "What took you so long?" asked Frederick when she appeared in front of him 15 minutes before the flight departure.

"Long story", answered Kate. "How do I go through the customs with the coffins?"

"I already showed them the papers. According to the papers, the cause of death of those you're carrying with you is car crash. Heavy 3d degree burns, that's why the coffins won't be opened", explained Fred.

"Did you talk to Leo?" Kate narrowed her eyes.

"No, why would I?" surprised Fred. 

"Forget it", said Kate. "What about my Toyota?"

"All set. You'll drive it to the runway and it will be loaded in the plane. I'm afraid, you'll have to show the coffins to the customs officers", said Fred.

"Don't worry. They're in the van."

*

The coffins and the car were loaded in the plane and, luckily, the vampires didn't wake up. Kate and Jake went through the passports control.

Finally, they were sitting in the comfortable seats. Jake fell asleep immediately and soon Kate also dozed off. 

Unfortunately, somewhere above the Atlantic Ocean, the vampires woke up. And Kate woke up because of the duo that, lying in the coffins in the cargo hold, was singing

Aserejé ja de jé de jebe tu de jebere seibiunouva   
majavi an de bugui an de buididipí.   
Aserejé ja de jé de jebe tu de jebere seibiunouva   
majavi an de bugui an de buididipí.   
Aserejé...   
  
  


**A/N3** Actually, chapters 3 and 4 were written as one, but then I decided to divide them in two. Then I changed my mind and decided to post both in one day. Please, review.

**A/N4 **I used the name of this tequila from one of the episodes of "First Wave". Although I'm not sure that this tequila exists.


	5. Oops, I Did it Again

**Title**: **The Call of Blood **

**Summary:**  A new vampire in Sunnydale. A rather unusual vampire, who will change some lives. Early season 7. Buffy/Angel crossover..

**Rating: **PG, maybe PG-13

**Pairing:** I'm a 100% Buffy/Spike shipper, although Angel will be present in my story. 

**Timeline**: September – October 2002.

**Disclaimer:** Buffy, Spike and Sunnydale, etc, are property of those who own them – Joss Whedon and others, they are definitely not mine. Same goes with Angel. But Kate, Jake and other characters that appear in this story are mine. I borrowed some aspects of the concept of a 'day-walker' from "Blade" (I love the movie :-)

**A/N**: This story takes place in Buffyverse, Angel is the only character from "Angel, the series". 

**A/N 2**: Warning: this story is COMPLETELY result of my imagination. Any similarity to other authors' plots, characters, or events is PURELY COINCIDENTIAL AND ABSOLUTELY UNINTENTIONAL.

**"Oops, I Did It Again…"**

_Sunnydale airport_

_Wed, Oct. 2_

_Afternoon_

The plane landed at the airport of Sunnydale in the afternoon. Unfortunately for the vampires, they had to remain in their coffins as the weather was sunny and Kate had to go through the customs.

Kate didn't get any sleep after the singing vampires awakened her. They kept singing until the plane landed. She went to the cargo hold to calm them down. This time it was: 

It's my life   
It's now or never   
I ain't gonna live forever   
I just want to live while I'm alive   
It's my life   
My heart is like an open highway   
Like Frankie said   
I did it my way   
I just wanna live while I'm alive   
It's my life 

They just lay in their coffins and when they saw Kate they didn't stop singing.

Without a word Kate came up to them and knocked them both out.  
When she returned to Jake, he asked her. "Did they shut up?"

Kate nodded. "I swear if I had a stake with me, I would have killed them. Both. They didn't let me sleep."

"Me neither. How are you gonna transport the coffins from the airport?" wondered Jake.

"Good question." Kate took her cell phone and looked through the list of received calls. She found the number of 'Magic Box' and dialed it.

"Magic Box." Kate heard Anya's voice.

"Anya, this is Kate. Is Giles around?" asked Kate.

"Kate, where did you disappear?" 

"I'll tell later. Where's Giles?" asked impatiently Kate.

Anya put the phone receiver on the counter and yelled "Giles!!!!!" When Giles came out of the basement where he tried to open a big box with the stuff Anya had ordered, he asked: "Why are you yelling?"

"Kate's on the line", said Anya and gave him the receiver.

"Kate, where have you been? Did you track the Blood Trackers?" asked Giles.

"Later, Giles. Can you get me a van? I'm at the airport and brought two coffins with me. They won't fit into my car", said Kate.

Giles thought for a second. "I'll tell Xander to get you from the airport. He has a van."

"Ok, I'll be waiting", said Kate and disconnected the call.

*

"What did she say?" wondered Anya.

"She needs a van and she brought two coffins with her", answered Giles. Then he called Xander and explained him what to do.

*

Kate met Xander at the airport.

She and Jake already went through the customs and the customs officers checked the coffins on board the plane. They offered their condolences to mournful Jake who looked awful after the sleepless and tiresome flight caused by certain bloodsucking creatures that rested in their coffins. Kate didn't look better. The only thing that comforted her was that after the vampires wake up they would have a hell of a headache, thousands of times worse than Leo's.

She told Xander to drive the van to the runway. They loaded the coffins in the van. Her ribs hurt her less and she was able to lift the coffin. When Xander wondered what in those coffins was, her answer was simple. '**Vampires'**

"What vampires?" raised an eyebrow Xander.

"Drunken and unconscious", answered Kate. "If I were you I wouldn't open the coffins. The vampires will be pissed off when they wake up."

She went back to the plane to drive her Toyota out of the cargo hold.

"Nice car", whistled Xander when he saw the car.

"I love it too", smiled Kate. "Xander, get the coffins to Spike's crypt and I'll go to my motel and sleep off."

"Wait. Spike is in one of these coffins??!!" exclaimed Xander.

"Xander, please. I'm starting to have a headache. Yes, Spike is in the coffin. So is Angel." Kate winced.

"What is ANGEL doing with you?" asked Xander.

"Please, I'll tell everything later. Now I want to sleep", pleaded Kate. "Jake, let's go", she yelled, standing near the plane. She didn't get any response. Kate returned to the plane and saw him sleeping.  Again. 'Lucky you', thought Kate and shook Jake's shoulder. "Wake up, we're in Sunnydale. Remember?"

Jake opened his eyes. "What if it was my injured shoulder you were shaking?"

"Did you scream in pain?" wondered Kate.

"No", said Jake. He touched his left shoulder. It didn't hurt him at all. "Strange", he said.

"Well, you'll think about strange things later. Now I want to sleep. Let's go", insisted Kate and took her backpack. Jake took his bag and they left the plane.

When Xander saw Jake he recognized him as one of those three guys who flirted with girls in the 'Bronze' the other night.

"Why is HE with you?" Xander couldn't believe his eyes - Kate brought one of the Blood Trackers!

"Xander, shut up and drive the van!" snapped Kate and got into her Toyota.

*

Kate parked the car near the motel she was staying at and said. "Jake, I'm gonna get out of this car, go to my room and get a 24 hour beauty sleep. If you or anybody else bother me...."

Jake nodded. "Don't worry. I need to get some sleep too."

They went to the registration office so that Jake could get a room and Kate could get the keys to her room. 'Stupid rules. Why can't I carry the damn key with me?' she grumbled inwardly.

When the receptionist saw her, she got pale and ran to the manager. The manager came out of his office.

"Is there a problem?" asked Kate when the manager opened his mouth to speak to her.

"Yes, Miss Ryan. You paid for one day. When you didn't show up to clear your room, we took a liberty to clear it ourselves. Don't worry, your bag is safe and I'll bring it to you", said hastily the manager when Kate frowned.

"So, give me another room", said Kate. 

"There might be a problem with this", murmured the receptionist, eyeing the incredibly hot guy, standing near Kate.

"What problem?" she was trying hard not to yell at the stupid manager and the receptionist.

"There's a big convention of Mary Kay cosmetics sales-ladies and every hotel and motel in Sunnydale is... Well, there are no vacant rooms in any of them", replied the manager.

Kate turned to Jake and whispered. "You're good at this 'charming stuff'. Charm the bloody receptionist so that she could give us the rooms."

"Kate, I'm so tired I wouldn't charm an ugly-men's-attention-deprived-virgin", whispered Jake.

"Although, we might have a room or you, if you agree for a 'honeymoon suite'", suggested the manager.

Kate and Jake growled. "Is this your ONLY option???"

"Yes, I'm afraid. And I suggest you should take it, because you wouldn't find any vacant hotel room in this town", said the manager.

Kate moaned. "Ok, we'll take the damn room." 

They filled the forms. Kate, having taken her bag, that manager had brought from his office, cast an angry glance at Jake and they went to their room.

"It's SOOO your fault!" she hissed when they were walking down the hall.

"I had nothing to do with this 'Mary Kay cosmetics sales-ladies convention'", raised an eyebrow Jake.

"No", snapped Kate, "I mean, if I hadn't followed you to France, I wouldn't have lost my room and I wouldn't be stuck with you in the 'honeymoon suite'."

"I didn't drag you to France", retorted Jake.

"Oh, shut up."       
She opened the door and they entered the room.

"Somebody, kill me..." moaned Kate.

"Me too..." moaned Jake.

They stared at the room. The most striking thing in it was the big heart-shaped bed. 

"How are people supposed to sleep in IT?" asked Jake in surprise.

"No, where is the couch or at least an armchair?" wondered Kate. "If the newlyweds have a fight, where is the husband supposed to sleep?"

"Oh, you think the wife will sleep in bed and the husband will sleep on the floor? Why not the other way around?" Jake turned to face her.

"Naah, the husband will sleep in the BATHTUB", smirked Kate. Her dream to fall on the bed and sleep was swept away by the shock, caused by this horrible room.

"Let's talk about our sleeping arrangements", said Jake, coming up to the bed and placing his bag on the floor. 

"There's nothing to talk about", shrugged Kate. "I'll sleep ON the bed and you have two choices – the floor or the bathtub."

"In case you've forgotten I'm the one here who's been shot in the shoulder and I'LL sleep on the bed", Jake sat on the bed with the expression 'this-is-my-territory' on his face.

"Oh, really?! How about a slight memory check? Who saved your life and got shot and has cracked ribs? Who took you to the doctor and got you out of the country?" Kate sat near Jake and prepared to fight for the territory. In this case the territory they were about to fight for was the bed. But they were interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone.

"Yeah", said Kate wearily.

"Why did Xander bring the coffins to the 'Magic Box'?" asked Giles.

"Oh, no...." Kate inwardly shuddered when imagined the vampires with hangover. When they wake up they would be thirsty, blood thirsty... "I told him to take the coffins to Spike's crypt. Look, send someone to the butcher's shop to get some blood."

"What are you talking about? Why Spike's crypt?" Giles didn't understand much.

"Because Spike and Angel are in these coffins. They got drunk, heavily drunk. When they wake up they'll have a hell of a hangover – killing headache, blood thirst and, most of all, the desire to kill the first person they lay their eyes on. Take my advice, stay away from them until I get to the shop", explained Kate and disconnected the call.

She sighed, took some fresh clothes from the bag and went to the shower. 

The shower awakened her a little and she went to the room. 

"I thought you wanted to sleep so much that you would, well, I don't know what you would've done if somebody interrupted you beauty sleep", teased her Jake.

"You are such a pain in the ass, y'know", smirked Kate. "I'm going to the 'Magic Box' to deal with those two 'singing vampires' that are about to wake up with a hangover. Otherwise they'll kill everybody they see."

"Can I go with you?" Jake wanted to look those two in their vampire eyes and tell them everything he thought about them. Kate nodded and Jake continued "I'll grab a quick shower."

"We have no time. They might wake up any minute", said Kate. She thought she could use Jake's help. He was strong, at least his brothers were. She remembered that fight in the alley behind the 'Bronze' and that Jake's brothers matched Buffy and Spike in strength and agility. 

Jake sighed and thought he'd take a shower when they get back. They locked the room and went to the lobby. There they saw lots of women and Kate winced, seeing so much pink color in one place.

"Gee, how can they wear this color?" she murmured when Jake handed the key to the receptionist.

*

They got in her Toyota and she drove the car to the 'Magic Box'. On her way to the shop she saw a drugstore and pulled over. She went to the store and 5 minutes later came out with a small brown bag in her hand.

"What's that?" wondered Jake when they drove off.

"Pregnancy test", answered Kate, but seeing Jake's astonished face burst out laughing. "Aspirin."  

"Can day-walkers have children?" asked Jake.

"Have no idea. I never tried", answered Kate. "Actually, I keep wondering how day-walkers are born. I mean, if vampires can't breed, if they are sterile, how did it happen that I was born as well as other day-walkers?"

"Yeah, day-walkers are the enigma among the supernatural creatures", said Jake. 'This girl is an enigma to me', he thought, looking at her. 'I thought she was a monster, but she turned out to be a beautiful girl.' He started to like her, even if she was a vampire.

*

"We're here", said Kate and Jake snapped out of his thoughts. 

They entered the shop and saw the whole gang there, excluding Buffy and Dawn, and, of course, Spike, who was in the coffin.

"Where are they?" was Kate's first question addressed to Giles.

"We took the coffins to the basement", answered the man. "Who's that?" he asked, pointing at Jake

"The remaining Blood Tracker. His brothers are dead", answered Kate.

"Did YOU kill them?" asked Willow with horror in her voice.

"NO! Why does everyone ask me this question?" exclaimed Kate. "I don't kill people!"

"Sorry", whispered Willow.

"Did you get the blood?" asked Kate, looking at Giles. 

Giles showed her two bottles with blood. "Fresh pig blood."

"This will teach them how not to get drunk. Especially when it's 'Blue Agave'", murmured Kate, coming up to the table, taking a sheet of paper and emptying the bottle of aspirin on the paper. She folded the paper and looked around, looking for something that would help her grind the pills to powder. Willow figured out what Kate wanted and brought her a bowl and that thing she used to grind herbs for her spells. Kate put the pills in the bowl and ground them to powder. Then she took that powder and put it in the bottles with blood. 

"What are you doing?" asked her Xander.

"Xander, if you'd done as I asked you to, I wouldn't be doing this right now", snapped Kate. "Where's the basement here? Oh, almost forgot, Jake, if you hear sounds of struggle, I could use your help."

Anya showed her the basement and Kate, having taken the bottles, descended the stairs. 

*

Luckily for the people upstairs, the vampires hadn't awakened yet. 

She came up to Spike's coffin and opened the lid. She slapped his face and yelled. "Rise and shine!!!"

Spike sat up in the coffin, covering his ears. Pain was pounding in his brain like a tiger, trapped in the cage. He vamped out, intending to kill the person who awakened him so ruthlessly. But then he saw Kate, who stood near the coffin holding in her hand something that looked like...blood. "Don't yell", he moaned. "I hear every cockroach stomping like an elephant in the house across the street."

Kate handed him the bottle of blood. "Thirsty? Headache?" she asked innocently.

Spike cast an angry glance at her. "Are you enjoying this?"

"Oh, yeah. I am." Kate smiled widely. "This is my revenge for the hell of a flight when I couldn't sleep, listening to you and Angel sing almost every song you heard on the radio, including Britney Spears' songs."

"What?!!!" stared at her Spike, forgetting that he had a headache.

"Yep. Starting with 'Hit Me Baby One More Time', actually I was ready to go to the cargo hold and hit you more than one time, and finishing with 'I'm Not a Girl Not Yet a Woman'", Kate was enjoying Spike's facial expression way too much. "Drink this. It will help."  

She came up to Angel's coffin and did the same to him. Angel grabbed the bottle and drank all blood in several big gulps.

"Whoa!" Kate's eyes widened when she saw this. "You ARE thirsty."

Both vampires got out of their coffins. Kate couldn't help herself but burst out laughing, seeing the wobbly walk of the vampires with heavy hangover.

"You'd better be in a horizontal position", suggested Kate, looking at the suffering vampires. "The headache will go away when aspirin starts working?"

"I've never had a hangover like this", moaned Angel. "Wait, how do you know how to deal with this hangover?"

"I'll explain later", answered Kate. "Now, get into the coffins and try to sleep. But, PLEASE, don't sing!"

*

Upstairs in the 'Magic Box' Giles, Anya, Willow and Jake waited for Kate to return. After she entered the basement, they heard a yell, then a little later a burst of laughter and then Kate returned. When she saw their faces, she smiled. "What's with your faces?"

"What was THAT?" asked Xander. "You said they'd be pissed off when they wake up."

"And that they would kill the first person they see", added Giles.

"The hangover was heavier than I expected and …let's just say Spike wouldn't kill the person who brought him blood - ME", said Kate, hopping on the counter.

"How did you know that they'd have a hangover like this? And why singing?" asked Jake.

"It's a really long story, I'll explain when they get out of the basement", replied Kate.

"Kate, where were you and Spike? Why did Xander have to get you from the airport?" asked Giles, sitting at the table.

"Well, we went to Paris", answered Kate. "We followed the Blood Trackers to Paris, then they met their employer…" started Kate.

"Actually, it was his…um, assistant", interrupted Jake.

"Whatever. Anyway, this 'assistant' wanted to kill them. His men killed Chris and Nick and I saved Jake's life. Jake got shot, so did I. I didn't get the blood, and nobody did either.  Jake offered me a deal – I would get him out of the country and he would give me information about his employer and about the day-walkers", explained Kate.

"How the hell did they end up in the coffins?" wondered Anya, who was upset, having heard about Chris' death (she remembered that hot guy from the 'Bronze').

"Well, I had to transport them to the States somehow", replied Kate.

"Where did they get drunk?" asked Willow.

"I took them to my old friend Leo, mostly because the sun was almost up and they had to hide somewhere during the daytime. Besides, Leo had to help me with some papers. He recognized notorious Spike and Angelus in them and, well, I wasn't present there when they were getting drunk, they obviously remembered good old times and drank too much."

"Can vampires get drunk?" asked Giles.

"Well, Spike WAS once, when he returned to Sunnydale after Dru had dumped him", said Willow.

"Kate, why SINGING?" raised his voice Jake.

"Why are you talking so damn LOUDLY?" they heard Spike's angry voice, when he exited the basement.

"Oh, look who's up!" teased him Kate. "Feeling better?" 

Spike didn't answer. He just leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. His head was still punishing him for getting drunk. Aspirin worked a little but Spike couldn't sleep because of the voices upstairs.

*

The bell above the door tingled and Buffy entered the shop. When she saw Spike, she came up to him and slapped him.

"What is that for?" yelled Spike, opening his eyes.

"Where the hell have you been? I've been worried sick about you!" shouted Buffy, staring at him and then looking at Kate.

"Buffy, define 'you'. If you were worried about ME, then you shouldn't have. But if you were worried about Spike…" Kate looked at Buffy with a mischievous smile.

"Why would she be worried about Spike?" asked Angel, coming out of the basement and hearing Kate's last words.

"Angel…" whispered Buffy, seeing her first love.

"Feeling better? How's your head, Angel?" teased him Kate.

"Kate, you're a monster. Why did you bring us to this Leo?" moaned Angel, sitting on the chair near the table.

"I didn't know that he still had 'Blue Agave'", retorted Kate. "I'll explain everything."

Spike came up to the counter and wanted to sit near Kate, but he was dizzy and weak, so he decided to sit on the floor near the counter.

"Kate, get the hell off the counter", said Anya, but Kate didn't listen to her. Anya sighed and sat at the table.

So, everyone prepared to listen to Kate.

"There's this Mexican legend that the juice of the blue agave can distinguish whether a person is a vampire or not. I heard about this legend when I was in Mexico about 22 years ago. 10 miles south from the American-Mexican border there's a bar. It's called 'Titty Twister'. When I was on my way to the States I made a stop at this bar. I was hungry and thirsty, well, like any normal human being. Imagine – I enter this bar at dusk. Guess who sits at the bar? – Leo, my good old friend Leo."

"Who's Leo?" asked Anya.

"Leo is an old vampire. He's kinda friend of the family. He's been working with the McBrydes since the 19th century, even before I was born. Leo helped me get new IDs, when someone was beginning to suspect something unusual about me. I changed my name, my background, everything... Where was I? Ah, the bar. I came up to Leo and he bought me a drink, a shot of tequila. That was tequila 'Blue Agave'. The tequila was nice, with a good taste. After 5 shots I felt like singing. Then Leo pointed at the stage. A group of people was standing there and singing 'Only You'. I thought it was some band, some Elvis fans, because they sang only his songs. After 9 shots I passed out. Leo was stronger and passed out after 16. I got up in the morning, having a headache and a strange blood thirst, though my ring was on the finger and I wasn't supposed to be thirsty. When Leo woke up, he had the same plus he wanted to kill the bartender for serving us shitty tequila. Usually, vampires don't have hangovers. This time it was different. Oh, almost forgot, when we woke up we saw a couple of crosses and a Bible, pointed at us. The bartender and a priest pointed them at us. The crosses and the Bible didn't affect me, though they affected Leo. When I explained them that Leo wasn't going to kill anyone, the bartender calmed down and told the priest to go away. After the priest had left, the bartender, his name was Diego, gave us two glasses of pig blood and half a dozen aspirin pills. Half an hour later I felt better and Diego told us a very interesting story. This tequila, made of the blue agave, had something in its chemical structure that reacted to the vampire blood and made the vampires sing. The bartender knew about this peculiarity of tequila 'Blue Agave' and served it to those who he suspected were vampires. After the strippers, the singing vampires were the major attraction of that bar. People would come to that bar from the nearest towns and villages to watch the show."

"Why didn't he kill you when he found out that you were vamps?" asked Buffy.

"Diego killed only violent vamps; he didn't kill those that didn't intend to harm him. Actually, Leo and I were the first vampires that didn't want to hurt Diego. Anyway, we stayed at the bar for a couple of days watching the show. THAT was something! I came to a conclusion that 'Blue Agave' worked on different vampires differently. There are 3 stages of what I call "'Blue Agave' syndrome". First (optional) – the vampire passes out. Second – the singing part. Third – hangover: headache, blood thirst, bad mood."

"Did you sing?" asked Spike, still suffering from the headache.

"As I said, this tequila worked differently on different vamps. I skipped stage two. Leo had all three stages", explained Kate.

"You said that after 5 shots you felt like singing", reminded her Giles.

"Well, yeah, I felt but I didn't sing. Anyway, when Diego explained what had happened to us, I swore to myself that I'd never drink this tequila again. Though Leo liked it and bought a bottle of this tequila. 15 years later when I visited Mexico again I dropped by to this bar and bought three bottles of 'Blue Agave' for Leo as I needed a big favor from him. Apparently he didn't touch those bottles until recently."

Spike grabbed his head and moaned. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Do you want me to enumerate?" Kate raised an eyebrow and looked down at her miserable brother. (By the way, Angel looked not better.) "Let's see... How about siring me?" 

"Kitten, I already said how sorry I was." Spike looked up at his sister.

"Yeah, actually, it's all Angel's fault", said Kate. 

"Here were go again", murmured Jake.

"Why is this MY fault?!" exclaimed Angel and winced from the pounding pain in his head.

"If you hadn't sired Drusilla, she wouldn't have sired Spike. Should I continue?" asked Kate.

"Yes, please", said Giles, wondering what Kate was driving at.

"Spike wouldn't have lost his soul and wouldn't have become the Killer of the Slayers. He wouldn't have come to Sunnydale and wouldn't have met Buffy. This thing with the chip and love for the Slayer wouldn't have happened and Spike wouldn't have done this terrible thing in Buffy's bathroom…" 

"What terrible thing and WHAT LOVE FOR THE SLAYER?" asked Angel, trying to understand Kate's trail of thought.

"Well, when he tried to r…" started Kate, but when she saw Buffy's 'I'll-kill-you-if-you-tell-him' glance, corrected herself, "when he tried to rip off the head of her favorite rubber duck, she got angry and yelled at him. She told him to get the hell out of Sunnydale or she would kill him", explained Kate, hoping that Angel, suffering from the hangover, would buy her lame explanation. "So, I'll continue. If Spike hadn't hurt Buffy's rubber duck, he wouldn't have gone to Africa to get his soul. If he hadn't gotten his soul back, he wouldn't need my blood and I wouldn't have drunk his blood. My Light blood wouldn't have mixed with his Dark blood and the Blood Trackersuldn't have tracked me. And this trip to Paris would never have happened and Spike and Angel wouldn't have gotten drunk and wouldn't be sitting here, calling death upon their heads", finished Kate and caught her breath. "Wow! That was quite a speech!"

"I don't call death upon my head", said Spike. "I just want THE BLOODY HEADACHE TO GO AWAY!!!"

"Buffy, what did she mean by 'Spike's love for the Slayer'?" asked Angel quietly, looking Buffy in the eyes. She cast an angry glance at Kate. Kate understood that she shouldn't have mentioned that part in her speech, jumped off the counter, ran up to Jake and said. "I'm going to the motel. Are you with me?" 

He nodded and they hastily left the shop. 

Spike, understanding that there would be a serious conversation between Buffy and Angel, quickly stood up and went to the basement to get some sleep in his coffin. 

"Why don't you both go to the training-room and work things out between you?" suggested Giles, addressing Buffy and Angel. They stood up and went to the training-room.

_Motel_

_Thu.__ Oct. 3_

_2.35 a.m.___

Kate was seeing her fourth dream when she heard the phone. She set it on 'vibration' mode but still she heard it. Kate grabbed it and grumbled. "Whatever you're gonna say, I'm not interested."

"Kate, it's Buffy."

"What is it? Jealous Angel killed Spike?" asked Kate not opening her eyes.

"No, Dawn's gone", answered Buffy. She sounded very worried and upset.

"What do you mean 'gone'?" asked Kate. She woke up.

"She's missing. I can't find her. Help me." Buffy sounded like she was going to burst in tears.

"How?"

"Please, come to my house", said Buffy and disconnected the phone.

Kate sighed and got off the bed. She went to the bathroom and took a quick shower.

She returned to the bedroom/living room and took her cell phone. She looked at Jake. He slept in his clothes.

When they returned from the 'Magic Box' they were tired so much, they didn't argue about their sleeping arrangements. They didn't even get undressed. The moment they laid their heads on the pillows, they were asleep.

_Buffy's house_

_Same night_

_3.05 a.m.___

Kate came up to the door and saw the light in the living room. She rang the doorbell and Giles opened the door. He looked tired and worried. "What happened?" asked Kate, when she saw him.

"Go to the living room", said Giles.

She entered the living room and saw Angel near the window and Willow and Buffy on the couch. Buffy was crying and Willow was comforting her. Spike was sitting in the arm-chair and looked better. 

"What happened?" asked Kate, standing in the doorway.

"Dawn's missing. When we returned from the shop around 10 she wasn't home yet. Buffy called all Dawn's friends, but they didn't know anything", explained Willow, looking at Kate.

"Why did you call me?" wondered Kate.

"Track her like you tracked those guys", pleaded Buffy, wiping the tears.

"Buf, she isn't a Blood Tracker, the spell won't work", shook her head Kate.

"No, the way you tracked Jake", spoke Spike.

"I never tasted Dawn's blood, I can't track her", retorted Kate.

"Her blood is my blood. Dawn was made out of my blood. You'll drink mine and you'll be able to track her", said Buffy.

"Oh, crap. I don't want to bite", winced Kate.

"You won't have to. I'll draw some of Buffy's blood in the syringe and you'll drink it", said Willow.

"I see you've thought about everything", sighed Kate. "Ok, do it."

Willow went to the bathroom, brought the syringe and drew Buffy's blood in it. Then she handed it to Kate. Kate took it and looked at it. "Can I have a glass?"

Giles brought the glass from the kitchen. Kate emptied the syringe into the glass. "Bottoms up!" With these words she drank the blood. 'Tasty', thought Kate. 'The taste is familiar…'

"Kate, please, do it", said Buffy.

Kate leaned against the wall and concentrated on Dawn. She called her, her delicious blood. 'Contact!' She's in Dawn's head. A room full of people, loud music. People dancing, she (Dawn) is dancing with a cute guy. She's happy and a little drunk. 

Kate broke the contact.

"So? What did you see?" asked Buffy impatiently.

"I think she's at some party. Looks like she lost track of time. Dawn is having fun and… Buffy, don't worry, she'll be back in the morning", said Kate, desperately trying to remember when she'd tasted blood with this familiar taste.

"Oh, my God! I totally forgot! She said she would be at Eric's birthday party!" exclaimed Buffy, slapping her forehead. "Kate, I'm sorry I woke you up."

Kate suddenly got pale and stormed out of the building.

Nobody understood anything.

_Motel_

_Thu.__ Oct. 3_

_3.36 a.m.___

Jake woke up in the middle of the night. He looked around. Kate wasn't in the room. "Kate, where are you?" he called her. Silence was his answer.

He looked at himself. 'Great, I fell asleep in the clothes.' He got off the bed and went to the shower. Jake took off his shirt. Then he carefully removed the bandage from his wound. He wanted to look at it as the shoulder didn't bother him at all. "That's interesting", he murmured. He expected to see a wound but instead he saw a scar on the place of the wound. "Hmm, weird."

Jake took off the rest of his clothes and got into the shower booth. 10 minutes later he heard the entrance door bang. He took the towel and wrapped around his waist. Jake exited the bathroom and was attacked by very excited Kate, who grabbed his shoulders and slammed him against the wall.

"What the…" he said when she vamped out.

"Hold still. This won't hurt much." With these words she sank her teeth in his neck. 

"Kate, what are you doing?" he hissed, feeling her firm grip on his shoulders. He took her head and pulled her away from him. "What is WRONG with you? Why the hell did you bite me?" 

Kate's face returned to its human shape. 

'This is NOT HAPPENING!!!' she thought and stared at Jake, who grabbed his neck and looked at Kate with disgust. "Oops, I did it again…" she whispered and passed out.

**A/N** I think the next chapter will be final. Review, please. Let me know what you think of it.

**A/ **Almost forgot. Bar 'Titty Twister' isn't my idea. It belongs to Robert Rodriguez who made one of my favorite movies "From Dusk Till Dawn". And the song is Bon Jovy's "It's My Life".

_  
  
_


	6. Blood Ties

**Title**: **The Call of Blood ******

**Summary:**  A new vampire in Sunnydale. A rather unusual vampire, who will change some lives. Early season 7. Buffy/Angel crossover..

**Rating: **PG, maybe PG-13

**Pairing:** I'm a 100% Buffy/Spike shipper, although Angel will be present in my story. 

**Timeline**: September – October 2002.

**Disclaimer:** Buffy, Spike and Sunnydale, etc, are property of those who own them – Joss Whedon and others, they are definitely not mine. Same goes with Angel. But Kate, Jake and other characters that appear in this story are mine. I borrowed some aspects of the concept of a 'day-walker' from "Blade" (I love the movie :-)

**A/N**: This story takes place in Buffyverse, Angel is the only character from "Angel, the series".

**A/N 2**: Warning: this story is COMPLETELY result of my imagination. Any similarity to other authors' plots, characters, or events is PURELY COINCIDENTIAL AND ABSOLUTELY UNINTENTIONAL.

**Blood Ties**

_Motel_

_Thu. Oct. 3_

_Morning_

Jake didn't get any sleep since Kate bit him. When she passed out, he tried to wake her up, but she was still unconscious. He lifted her from the floor and put her on the bed. Her breathing was shallow and she was pale.

Jake just sat on the bed, staring at the TV screen when he heard a buzzing sound. He tried to figure out the origin of that sound and found it in Kate's pocket. That was her cell phone.

"Kate, it's Buffy."

"It's not Kate, it's Jake."

"Where's Kate?" wondered Buffy.

"Right now she's lying unconscious on the bed and I can't wake her up", said Jake, taking the remote control and switching to another channel.

"Why is she unconscious?" asked Buffy.

"Beats me! She bit me and passed out", replied Jake, casting a glance at Kate. She looked like she was in coma.

"SHE BIT YOU???" yelled Buffy.

"Yeah, and she told me that she didn't bite people." Jake winced, touching the bite marks on his neck. Though they didn't hurt and almost healed, he didn't like being bitten by a vampire.

"What hotel is she staying at?" asked Buffy impatiently.

Jake told her the name of their motel and the number of their room and disconnected the call.

"Kate, wake up." He shook her shoulder. No response. "What's the matter with you?"

*

Half an hour later Jake heard a knock on the door. He opened it and let Buffy and Giles come in.

"How long has she been like that?" asked Giles, pointing at Kate.

"5 hours", replied Jake.

"How did this happen?" wondered Buffy. "Did you say something to her that made her attack you?"

"No, she just burst into the room, slammed me against the wall and bit me. She looked very excited and a little crazy. When I pulled her away from me, she said 'Oops, I did it again' and passed out", explained puzzled Jake.

"Giles, what's wrong with her?" asked Buffy. 

"Jake, she said that you had information about the day-walkers. Do you have any idea what could've caused the state Kate is in?" Giles turned to Jake.

"Well, this is not quite possible, but day-walkers can fall in this state when they have 'Slayer blood OD'", explained Jake.

Buffy and Giles exchanged glances. "Are you saying she passed out because of the overdose of Slayer blood?" Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. You're the Slayer, Buffy. She didn't bite you, did she?" asked Jake.

"I gave her some of my blood so that she could track my sister", answered Buffy. "But she didn't look like she was going to fall into a coma. She stormed out of my house and went somewhere."

"She just went to our hotel room to bite me", smirked Jake.

"Do you know how to awaken this 'Sleeping Beauty'?" asked Giles.

"Nope. I've never seen day-walkers in this state, only read about it", shrugged Jake, coming up to his bag and taking a book out of it. "In this book."

"Can I look at it?" asked Giles. A book about day-walkers was something new, something Giles had never seen.

Jake handed him the book and Giles grabbed it like it was some kind of Holy Grail. 

Buffy and Jake came up to the window.

"Why did she have to track your sister?" asked Jake quietly. 

"Dawn went to her friend's birthday party and I totally forgot about it. I thought someone kidnapped her or something and freaked out. We ran out of options by the middle of the night and Angel suggested that we should call Kate. She came, drank my blood and tracked Dawn. The rest you know", answered Buffy. Being near Jake she had a strange feeling, a feeling of something very familiar and friendly.

"I don't understand how she could track your sister having drunk YOUR blood", said Jake.

"Dawn was the Key. The monks made her out of my blood so that I could protect her. Her blood is my blood", explained Buffy.

*

"God, I'm thirsty!" They suddenly heard a husky voice from the bed and turned to Kate.

She sat up, looking around, not understanding how it turned out that it was already morning and why Buffy and Giles were in the room. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" asked Jake.

"Remember what?" wondered Kate, getting off the bed and heading to the mini fridge. 

"Kate, I hope it's not blood thirst", said Buffy, looking at the vampire.

"I don't recall drinking tequila", shook her head Kate and took a bottle of mineral water from the fridge. She emptied it quickly and took another one. "What is wrong with me?" she murmured.

"It's the side effect of the 'Slayer Blood overdose'", said Giles, closing Jake's book and looking at Kate.

"What overdose?" asked Kate. "What are you talking about?"

"What is the last thing you remember after the last night?" asked Giles, coming up to Kate.

"I remember establishing contact with Dawn, then telling Buffy what I saw, and then I ran to my car. I remember parking near the motel, and then I ran to our room and ….HOLY SHIT!!!" She yelled, staring at Jake.  

"What?!" asked Buffy and Jake simultaneously. Giles took off his glasses and wiped them. He knew why Kate yelled.

"HE IS A FUCKING SLAYER!!!" Kate yelled again. "That's what's been bugging me all this time – Slayer blood!"

"Only Slayer blood can break the effect of the protective ring", explained Giles. 

"I knew there was something about his blood. I tried hard to resist the temptation to taste it again, and again, and again", murmured Kate, pacing in front of astonished Buffy and shocked Jake. "On the other hand, why didn't I want to drink Buffy's blood?"

"How can he be a Slayer? He's a man!" exclaimed Buffy.

"Jake, didn't you know?" asked Giles.

"I can't be a Slayer. Only girls can be Slayers", retorted Jake. He obviously didn't know that he was a Slayer.

"I want you all to calm down and we'll go to the 'Magic Box'. Jake, you'll tell us what you know about day-walkers and I'll explain Kate what I've found in McBryde's Chronicles. Questions?" asked Giles.

Buffy and Jake shook their heads, meaning they had no questions. Kate shrugged and took her backpack. They left the room and descended the stairs. Jake gave the key to the receptionist. 

"Why are there so many women in pink?" asked Buffy.

"Mary Kay sales-ladies' convention. All hotels and motels are booked up, that's why I'm stuck with Jake in the 'honeymoon suite'", explained grimly Kate. She still was suffering from the side effect of the OD and was very thirsty. 

*

They went to the parking lot and Kate got into her Toyota. Jake decided to go with Buffy and Giles. He still was angry at Kate for biting him.

"Kate, can you get Spike and Angel from the cemetery?" asked her Giles.

"Actually, they're in the mansion at Crawford Street", noted Buffy, standing near the car.

"I don't know where this is", said Kate.

"I'll go with you." Buffy sat in the passenger seat. 

"Show me the way", said Kate and started the engine.

*

On their way to the mansion Kate made a stop at the supermarket, where she bought a pack of mineral water and the October issue of 'Cosmopolitan'.

*

Kate pulled over near the mansion. "What an ugly house!" she exclaimed, seeing the mansion. 

"Angel used to live here when he lived in Sunnydale", said Buffy.

The girls got out of the car and entered the building. The ascended the stairs and entered the huge room.

"What's wrong with this picture?" murmured Buffy, seeing Spike and Angel sitting on the couch, drinking scotch and talking.

"Aren't they friends?" asked Kate.

"Not really. They were enemies", said Buffy.

"They look like friends to me." Kate shrugged and approached the vampires. "I see tequila wasn't enough for you and you decided to add some scotch."

"Hey, kitten. Good morning to you too", said Spike cheerfully.

"What are you so happy about?" wondered Kate.

"I don't have a headache anymore", answered Spike. "But you look like you've had a rough night."

"Giles wants you to go to the 'Magic Box'", said Buffy. "He has something to tell us all."

The vampires put aside their glasses and stood up. They took the blankets and followed the girls.

Downstairs Spike covered himself with the blanket and ran to the car. Angel did the same and Kate and Buffy took their seats.

_'Magic Box'_

_Same day_

_Still morning_

Kate parked the car behind the shop and the vampires got out of the car. They entered the shop through the backdoor. Kate took her backpack, 'Cosmopolitan', and the pack of water and followed them and Buffy. Giles and Jake were already there, besides Willow was helping Anya serve the customers.

"You're here, good", said Giles, placing the laptop on the table. He put Jake's book near the laptop and sat on the chair. "Have a seat. It will take long."

Kate found the chair, put the water near it, took one bottle and emptied it.

"Still thirsty?" asked Giles sympathetically.

"Yep", nodded Kate, sitting down on the chair. Spike and Angel sat beside her.

Buffy was sitting between Jake and Willow. 

"Ok, now listen to me. As you know, day-walkers are very unusual vampires. They have strong sides of the vampire race – strength, relative immortality (they don't age like humans and live long, but can be killed), vampire hearing and vision. They have strong sides of the human race – the ability to walk in the sunlight; they breathe, eat, and drink like humans. Like humans they are not afraid of things that vampires don't like – holy water, crucifixes, garlic, etc. Technically, they belong neither to the vampire race nor to the human race. They are different. 

Slayers exist to keep the balance of things between the humans and the demonic creatures. Female Slayers are born to fight them. But they can't fight the day-walkers. They just don't sense them. Kate, can I have some water?" asked Giles, interrupting his narration.

"Sure." Kate took a bottle from the pack and handed it to Giles. He took a sip from the bottle and continued. "Long time ago one of the Slayers managed to have a normal family. She had children – three boys and a girl. The girl had the genes of the Slayer, but the boys also had these genes. When they grew up they became 'Blood Trackers'."

"Are you saying that the male Slayers were able to sense the day-walkers?" asked surprised Buffy.

"Yes, exactly. They hunted the day-walkers like the female Slayers hunted the usual vampires and demons. They did a good thing because almost all day-walkers were evil. That made them more dangerous than the usual vampires. Although there was a chance that a day-walker could be a good one if he had the Bouddong Ring, the protective ring made by a very powerful warlock 6 thousand years ago. Last time that Ring was seen on a day-walker was two thousand years ago. Then it was lost until Charles McBryde, the man who found Kate when she was sired, gave it to the young and beautiful female day-walker – Kate. This was written in McBryde's Chronicles and I found the description of the ring in Jake's book. McBryde found it in Mexico during the archeological excavation of one of the burial sites of some ancient tribe. Female day-walkers are the enigma among the day-walkers and the vampires in general. Kate, are you listening to me?"

The enigma Giles was talking to was sitting on the chair, no, actually she leaned back on it so that it stood on two legs, and was reading the magazine. "Yeah, sure. I'm all ears."

"I doubt that. Anyway, the peculiar thing about female day-walkers is that they are born once one thousand years and when one dies, the other one is conceived that day. Kate, your predecessor died in January of 1857 and the very same day you were conceived."

"How the hell do you know?" asked Spike. "I don't think you were present when mom and dad were making me a baby sister."

"Spike, your mom and dad didn't make you a baby sister. Someone else did", said Giles, looking at Kate. She was reading 'Cosmo' and seemed to be not very attentive.

"What do you mean? She isn't my sister?!" exclaimed Spike, staring at Giles.

"Yes. Let me finish. The other thing peculiar about the female day-walkers is that they are born only by the Slayers."

"Cool, my mommy was the Slayer. Who was the daddy?" said Kate, still reading the magazine.

"Angel."

Kate fell off the chair. "THIS. IS. NOT. A. VERY. FUNNY. JOKE." She said distinctly, lying on the floor. 

Everyone, except Giles, was in shock. Anya left the counter and came up to the table. "Angel is Kate's father?" she asked surprised. "How is that possible?"

Kate rose to her feet and sat on her chair. She looked at Spike who was upset, having heard that Kate wasn't his sister, then at Angel who was crushed by the fact that he had a daughter. 

"Giles, will you explain how this is possible?" asked Buffy, trying to comprehend Angel's ability to have children.

"Let me explain you one thing. Slayers have Watchers. Day-walkers have Watchers too. They keep an eye on them, record their lives and help them. Even the fiercest of the day-walkers respected their Watchers. Charles McBryde was the Watcher of Katarina, the day-walker whose death triggered Kate's conception. One cold January night Katarina, a neutral day-walker, met a Slayer. Both were tired and angry, one thing led to another, Katarina vamped out and tried to kill the Slayer. The Slayer was stronger and she killed the day-walker. Two people were watching the fight – Charles, who couldn't do anything to help his day-walker, and Angelus, who liked the beautiful black-eyed Slayer. After the tiresome fight she was very weak and he attacked her. But instead of killing her, he raped the girl." The last words Giles said very silently. Angel got deadly pale. Giles reminded him of something he wanted to forget. Angel couldn't look Kate in the eyes.

"That night Kate was conceived. Nine months later, on the 31st of October, on Halloween the Slayer gave birth to a beautiful girl. All this happened in London. She couldn't keep the child as it reminded her of that horrible night in January. She took the girl and left her on the porch of the first house she came up to. That was the house where Spike lived with his parents. Charles kept an eye on the Slayer all the time. He wanted to know where the potential day-walker would live."

"Gee, it's like some soap opera", chuckled Kate, trying to lighten up the situation. Everyone was so serious. Jake was still under the impression that he was a male Slayer, Spike tried to get used to the idea that Kate wasn't his biological sister and was Angel's daughter, Angel was afraid to look at Kate, Buffy tried to get used to the existence of male Slayers. Willow and Anya just waited what would happen next. 

"C'mon, people. It's not the end of the world", said Kate. "Giles, how are vampires able to conceive a child? I thought they were sterile?"

"After the death of the day-walker another day-walker had to be conceived. Angel just happened to be in the right place in the right time."

"Who named me Kate?" asked Kate, turning to Spike.

"I was four when my parents showed me the baby and said that it was my sister. Mom said that her name was Katherine, but it was too complicated for me and I named her Kate. When she was growing up she was so cute, that everybody called her 'kitten'." Spike smiled sadly.

"I'll continue. Charles McBryde kept an eye on Kate for all these years. He knew that sooner or later she would become a vampire and he wanted to be there when it happens. He had the protective ring, which he found in Mexico two months before Katarina was killed. He knew that it was too late to give it to Katarina", said Giles.

"It happened a month later after William died. We all missed him, I missed him most of all. One dark evening, when I was returning home from my friend Betty, I bumped into a group of people. Two men and a woman. One of the men looked like the exact copy of William. But I knew that William was dead and buried. What happened next, scared me so much, that I had nightmares for a year. The man who looked like William grabbed me and the other man told him. 'Do it, William, she's so fresh, young and tasty'. That William bit my neck and almost drained me. I felt so weak and wanted to sleep. But that wasn't enough for them. The woman came up to William, opened his shirt and pierced skin on his chest. When the blood appeared he made me drink it. Then I passed out and when I woke up I was in some room and a man in his forties sat beside my bed. He told me that everything would be alright and gave me the ring. I had to wear the ring all the time and never take it off. He explained what had happened to me and who I was. Eventually I got used to the idea of being a day-walker and in time I forgave William for what he had done to me", said Kate and looked at the vampires who were responsible for that. "Guys, relax. I forgave you." She took another bottle from the pack and emptied in several gulps. "When will this side effect wear off?" 

"It depends on how much blood you've drunk", said Jake. 

"Not much", shook her head Kate. "Wait a second. When I grabbed you, you were wearing a towel and you were wet."

She suddenly recollected a strange thing.

"I was in the shower when you burst into the room", said Jake.

"I didn't see any bandage on your shoulder. Where the hell did your gunshot wound go?" asked amazed Kate.

"I don't know. It's gone, there's only a scar left", shrugged Jake.

"Maybe it's the Slayer healing", supposed Buffy.

"Jake, you're an expert on day-walkers, explain me one thing. What will happen if the day-walker's blood mixes with the human's?" asked Kate.

"The human will get the strongest sides of the vampire. OH, DAMN IT!" shouted Jake, realizing what Kate was driving at.

"Exactly", nodded Kate. "It's the Slayer healing plus the vampire healing."

"What?!" exclaimed everyone, including the vampires.

"When I fell on the wounded Jake, after Gentry had shot me, I cracked the tube with blood. I think the blood from the tube mixed with Jake's blood or it somehow got into his wound", explained Kate.

"Are you saying that Jake is a vampire?" asked Anya.

"No. To become a vampire a person has to die first", replied Kate. "Right, Jake?"

"Yes. Besides, day-walkers can't sire people. It's the job of the usual vampires", said Jake.  

"What else can you say about the day-walkers?" asked Giles.

"When the day-walker loses his Watcher he can choose his next Watcher", answered Jake.

"How?" wondered Kate.

"The day-walker senses the potential Watcher."

Kate got deadly pale. "Congratulations, Jake! You're my next Watcher!"

"Excuse me?" Jake raised an eyebrow. "What did you just say?"

"You are my next Watcher. I sensed you", replied Kate. "Every time you were around I had this weird feeling, I can't describe it."

"Let me get this straight", said Anya, who listened to everything very attentively. "Kate is Angel's daughter, she was raised in Spike's family, she has a ring which is 6 thousand years old and this ring prevents her blood thirst. But somehow the Slayer blood broke the effect of this ring and Kate drank Jake's blood. Jake turned out to be a male Slayer and he also acquired the strongest sides of the vampire race, besides Kate sensed her new Watcher in him. Am I right?"

"Yeah, I see you've got the concept", nodded Kate. 

"Um, one question. How does the day-walker's blood affect the vampire?" asked Spike, addressing Jake.

"The vampire acquires some of the advantages of the human side of the day-walker", answered Jake. "Why do you ask?"

Spike stood up and ran to the door. He opened it and went outside.

"Spike, NO!!!" yelled Buffy, seeing what Spike was doing. "You'll burn!"

5 minutes later very much alive and very happy Spike returned to the shop. He came up to Kate, grabbed her and hugged her. "Thank you, kitten, for making me invincible."

"Spike, let go of me, you'll crush my bones", hissed Kate, wincing in Spike's tight grip. "Spike, my ribs…"

"Oh, sorry." He let go of her and smiled widely. "I'm invincible."

"Great, I've created two monsters. One thinks he's invincible, another one won't age, besides he's my Watcher", murmured Kate. She still was thirsty and took one more bottle of water. "When will this bloody thirst end?!"

"So, is Spike really invincible?" asked Angel. He also wanted to be able to walk in the daytime.

"He still can be killed like any vampire, but the sunlight is no longer a threat to him. He also won't be afraid of things vampires don't like", replied Jake.

"Gee, we should thank the 'Initiative' one more time for implanting a chip in Spike's head. Can you imagine what he would do if he still was 'evil' Spike with the ability to withstand daylight?" said Buffy.

"It's easy to imagine", nodded Willow.   
"Now, Jake, it's time to start talking about your 'employer'", said Kate, looking at Jake. "You remember we had a deal. Why did he want my blood?"

"Our 'employer' never told us his name. We called him 'Boss' and we started working for him in 1999, when he gave us the first assignment – to get the blood of the day-walker. That was a male day-walker; after we got his blood, we killed him. He was one of the fiercest day-walkers. Ian Hayes, 897 years old, incredibly cautious, and trusted nobody. Still we tracked him and brought his blood to the 'Boss'. Since that time we killed four more and a month ago 'Boss' asked us to bring the blood of the female day-walker."

"How did you track them?" wondered Giles. "Your 'Blood spell' has a limited range; you had to find them first."

"Male day-walkers had female Watchers. We charmed them and got all necessary information about their day-walkers."

"Why did you kill Victor?" asked Kate quietly.

"We didn't. When we came to your Glasgow mansion, he was already dead. "

"How did you find out about me anyway?" wondered Kate.

"Your butler sold you and your Watcher. Chris got the information that Victor McBryde could be the Watcher of a female day-walker and we went to Glasgow. But MdBryde was already dead. His death was staged as a suicide. Your butler told us where you went and we followed you to the States. First to Indianapolis, then to Los Angeles. Then we used 'Blood spell' and came to Sunnydale", answered Jake.

Kate reached for her backpack and found Victor's letter. She opened it and started reading.

"When I called the Watchers' Council they already knew about McBryde's death", noted Giles. 

"Victor wrote that there was a traitor in the Council", said Kate, raising her head. "The day-walkers' Watchers were a secret branch in the Council. The list of the watchers and their vampires was highly classified and only few members of the Council knew that."

"So, it means that someone in the Council sold the list to someone who was interested in getting a day-walker's blood", supposed Angel.

"Yes, and Victor found out about that. That's why we moved from Paris to Glasgow and that's why he sent me away. Maybe the traitor tried to cover his tracks and because of that Vic was killed", nodded Kate. "The question remains: who wants this blood and why?"

Angel took Gentry's driver's license from his pocket. "I took it when we were at the cemetery." 

"Willow, can you find something about this man?" asked Giles.

Willow nodded. "I'll try." She took the license and opened the laptop.

While the ex-witch was working with the computer, Kate and the others tried to find answers to their questions.

"Jake, what does my ring do? When Nick saw it, he was surprised and said that it could h… What's a 'h…'?" asked Kate.

"It can heal. To be exact, the vampire, who's been wearing this ring for some time gets the gift of healing", answered Giles instead of Jake who got pale when he heard these words.

"I didn't know that", whispered Jake. "I haven't read the book attentively and my brothers are dead."

"I didn't know that either", shrugged Kate. "Cool. I have a gift of healing. What else?"

"Maybe you can fly?" smirked Spike.

"Very funny. " Kate turned to Spike. 

"I found him", said Willow. "The man's name is Daniel Gentry. He lives in Seattle and works at the 'Center of Recombined Genetics' as a lab tech."

"Somebody wanted to play with my Slayer/vampire/human genes. Nice", murmured Kate. 'Why does the name of this center sound so familiar?' she thought. 

"Willow, look for something about this center", said Giles.

"Guys, do you mind if we take a little break? I'm hungry", said Kate. "Let's go eat something." Buffy and Jake supported her idea.

"You go ahead, I'll stay", said Willow, looking for information in the Internet. 

"I'll stay too. I have an idea and want to find something to prove it." Giles stood up and went to the bookshelves.

"Spike, Angel, or should I say 'Daddy'? Are you in?" Kate looked at the vampires.

"Kate…" Angel didn't know how to behave himself with Kate, knowing who she was to him.

"Angel, please. I'm not mad at you and Spike. I already said that. Though I'd like to take a look at my real mother, but uh…she's gone." Kate sighed and murmured. "Why do I have the feeling like I'm stuck in some cheap soap opera – my brother is not my biological brother, my real mother left me, my father is a vampire…?" Giles cast a strange glance at her and returned to his books.

*

When the vampires and the Slayers left Willow asked Giles. "What idea do you have in mind?"

"I want to bring Kate's mother from the past. I mean the Slayer", said Giles, looking for some book on the shelf.

"Why?" asked Anya. "The spell is complicated and there's no guarantee that it will work."

Giles turned to Anya, who was sitting at the table and flipping through the pages of 'Cosmopolitan' Kate had brought. " 

"Do you know a spell for this?" he asked surprised.

"Yeah, but I'm telling you it may not work", shrugged Anya. "Besides, it requires a very good knowledge of magic."

"Why do you want to bring her mother back?" asked Willow. "Remember how Buffy felt when we brought her back from the dead." 

"It's not that. I want to ask her how she killed Katarina. Jake's brothers are dead and I don't know if there are other Blood Trackers who can hunt and kill the evil day-walkers. Anya, what do we need for this spell?"

"Kate's blood, for starters. Then a powerful witch would be useful", answered Anya. "Oh, the customer!" She put the magazine aside and went to greet the customer.

"Willow, I know that it's too much to ask, I know that you've just recovered from this addiction, but this is necessary." Giles hated himself for asking Willow to use her magic again.

Willow smiled. "Giles, don't worry. I can control myself. I learned a lot about magiñ and as Kate said I can't quit my powers. I'll do it."

"Good. Anya and I will back you up", said Giles and went to Anya. She just sold one of the expensive items and was counting the money.

"Besides the witch and the blood, what else do we need for this spell?" he asked impatiently.

Anya thought for a second. "I'll get everything ready." Then she returned to the pleasanter thing – counting money.

Giles took the phone and dialed Kate's number, but she obviously switched off her phone. He decided to call her later.

*

Meanwhile the vampires and the Slayers bought some Chinese food and went to the mansion on Crawford Street.

"I want to go to the movies", said Kate, trying to eat the noodle with the sticks. "How do they eat using these things?" she grumbled. The noodle kept falling off the sticks all the time.

"Good. Go to the movies and I'll finally get some sleep", said Jake. "First these 'El Mariache' didn't let me sleep, then you bit me and again I couldn't sleep."

"Who are you calling 'El Mariache'?" asked Spike, sipping fresh pig blood, that Kate had bought for him and Angel.

"You and Angel of course", replied Kate, losing her fight against the sticks and taking a fork.

"I'm not following what you are talking about", said Buffy.

"Stage 2 of 'Blue Agave' syndrome. I almost turned gray when we went through the customs. I feared that they would start singing. Can you imagine the faces of the customs officers if they heard singing coming from the coffins?" asked Kate.

"They started singing in the plane. Loudly. I couldn't sleep", added Jake.

"Neither could I. Actually, Spike has a nice voice, but Angel… Sorry, daddy, but you have absolutely no voice", said Kate.

"Kate, don't call me 'daddy'. It's too … freaky." Angel looked at his daughter and at the same time great grandchild.

"Spooky", added Spike. "What did we sing?"

"You sang in duet. When I heard 'The Ketchup Song' I almost died of laughter. By the way, when you sang 'Belle' IN FRENCH, Spike sang for Quasimodo, Angel for the Priest, and then you both sang for the Soldier. It was pretty cool." Kate laughed, remembering the flight. Buffy joined her, imagining the 'singing vampires show'.

"Do you remember 'One Wild Night'?" asked Jake. 

Kate nodded. "Oh, yeah. That was really a wild night."

Angel grabbed his head, hearing the description of his and Spike's escapades. "Somebody, stake me", he moaned.

"If that's what you want…" smirked Spike.

"So, do you still want to go to the movies?" asked Jake, hoping to get the bed in his own disposal.

"Yes", answered Kate. "Buffy, do you want to go with me?"

"No, I can't. But you could take Dawn with you. She wanted to see 'xXx'", said Buffy.

"Ok. By the way, when did she come home?" wondered Kate.

"In the morning. And she was very surprised when I didn't scold her", replied Buffy. She looked at her watch. "Oh, crap, I should go. I have to be at work in 20 minutes."

"I'll give you a lift", said Kate, standing up. Jake also rose to his feet. "Can you drive me to the motel?" Kate nodded.

"Let's go", said Buffy. "Bye, 'singing vampires'." She looked at them and laughed.

The 'singing vampires' winced. "Bye, 'singing Slayer'" teased her Spike. "Kate, how about a poker game? Tonight? At my crypt? Jake, you'll be the fourth."

"No problem", said Kate. "C'mon, Slayers, let's go."

They left the mansion. 

*

Kate drove Buffy to Sunnydale High, Jake to the motel and went to the 'Magic Box'.

When she entered it, she saw Giles, Willow and Anya vigorously discussing something.

"What's up, guys?" greeted them Kate. "Have you found anything new?" She approached the table. She saw a microscope and some lab equipment on the table.

"Where have you been? I've been calling you for an hour", reproached her Giles.

Kate took her cell phone. "Oops, I must have switched it off. Why were you looking for me?"

"We need a sample of your blood", said Willow. "I want to make some tests."

Kate shrugged. "Ok. It's not that you want to use it for some bad purposes. Right?"

"Sure. Just some tests", assured her Willow. She took a syringe and drew some blood from Kate's right hand. Kate winced.

"Oh, did I hurt you?" asked Willow.

"Nah, just bad memories", replied Kate. Her cell phone rang.

"Kate, it's Dawn." 

"Hey, Dawn", smiled Kate.

"Buffy said you wanted to go to the movies. Let's meet at 4.50 near the movie theater." Dawn explained Kate how to get there and disconnected the call.

Kate looked at her watch. "Looks like I'm gonna have to hang out with you until 4 a.m."

_Cemetery_

_Spike's crypt_

_Same day_

_Late in the evening_

Three vampires and a Slayer were playing poker. Jake was winning and was very happy about that.

"Kate, you're a lousy poker player", noted Jake, collecting the money. "Learn how to bluff."

"Shut up", snapped Kate, dealing the cards.

"We should play 'kitten poker'", said Spike, taking his cards.

"What's a 'kitten poker'?" wondered Kate.

"It's when you play for kittens, not for money", explained Spike.

"Why kittens?" asked Kate, thinking how to play.

"They're delicious", answered the blonde vampire.

"Ew!" shuddered Kate. "That's disgusting!" Then she started humming quietly
    
    _Adrenaline keeps me in the game_
    
    _Adrenaline you don't even feel the pain_
    
    _Wilder than the wildest dreams_
    
    _When goin' to the extremes_
    
    _It takes adrenaline_

"Pay attention to the game, Kate", reminded her Angel, taking one card. "What are you humming? Did you drink tequila?"

"No, Dawn and I went to the movies tonight. It's the song from 'xXx'", answered Kate. "By the way, Vin Diesel is so…Uh" she sighed. 

"Why is it so noisy outside?" asked Jake, ignoring Kate.

"It's Buffy on patrolling", answered Spike. 

_'Magic Box'_

_Same day_

_Simultaneously with the events at the cemetery and Spike's crypt_

"Is everything ready?" asked Giles for the tenth time.

"Yes, Giles. Don't worry", assured him Willow, lighting the candles and checking if everything was on its place.

Anya locked the shop and closed the blinds. She switched off the light and the room was lit by the candlelight.  

Willow sat on the floor, crossed her legs and started chanting:

_I beseech this blood to break the darkness of the years and join its source_

She poured Kate's blood in the bowl and put herbs there. The content of the bowl made 'puff' and a slight smoke appeared. Nothing else.

"Did it work?" asked Giles.

"Do you see anybody else beside us?" wondered sarcastically Anya. "I told you the spell was complicated and unreliable."

"It didn't work", sighed Willow sadly.

_Cemetery_

_Outside Spike's crypt_

_Simultaneously with the events in the 'Magic Box'_

Buffy was fighting with three big vampires. She already dusted two and was fighting against a rather annoying vamp that was good at martial arts and she couldn't kill him easily. Finally Buffy made a strike but then something really strange happened. The vampire she was about to dust, changed somehow and the stake hit human's chest. Buffy saw blood and heard screams of two dark-haired girls who appeared out of nowhere. "YOU BITCH! YOU KILLED HIM!"

The End

A/N That's all, folks. I hope you enjoyed this story. The song is from 'xXx' OST. It's 'Adrenaline', Gavin Rossdale. 

Read and review.


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